India-China must reciprocate candidly over divergence issues to achieve convergence mutually: Amb Gautam Bambawle

NewsBharati    09-May-2018
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Beijing, May 9: “India-China must engage each other seriously and should hold talks frankly and candidly, to boost mutual trust,” asserted Ambassador Gautam Bambawale while speaking at 8th India-China Dialogue between Ananta Aspen Centre & China Reform Forum. 

While addressing the forum, Ambassador Gautam Bambawale recalled PM Modi-Xi Jinping’s meet, said that at the recently-held ‘Informal Summit’ between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi at Wuhan, both leaders spoke freely and frankly to each other on strategic and over-arching issues pertaining to the international and regional situations as well as on India-China relations.

 

He further said that if India and China have to live and progress together, especially in the 21st Century, it is essential that we engage each other seriously and talk to each other extremely frankly and candidly. The ‘Informal Summit’ was one such example of engagement at the apex level. Talking to each other candidly will help in enhancing understanding and thereby increase trust in each other, he added.

Further he said that at their Wuhan Summit, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi concluded that there are many factors of commonality between India and China and that we need to expand on such convergences.

Speaking over issues, he said naturally, like any two countries, there are also differences between us. We can only resolve these differences, over time, if we speak to each other about them in an open manner. In the course of your conversations today, you will touch upon both the areas of convergence as well as those of divergence between our countries. Only through such a frank, free and open dialogue, will we be able to enhance understanding between ourselves and increase trust amongst us, our two peoples, our two Governments, and our two countries.

An important principle in India-China relations is the necessity of being sensitive to the other country’s aspirations and interests. Absence such sensitivity, we may talk to each other but little progress will be made if we do not empathize with the other side’s point of view. I hope that such sensitivity will also be displayed in your discussions today. This is an important pre-requisite for moving forward in our bilateral ties, he added.

Expressing hopes and gratitude, He said that I am delighted that there are eminent personalities on both sides of this Dialogue which enhances the stature of today’s Dialogue. I look forward to receiving your conclusions and suggestions as a result of your meeting today. I wish you great success in this 8th India-China Dialogue. Thank you for inviting me for this 8th India-China Dialogue. I welcome the fact that the Dialogue is resuming after a gap of one year. It did not take place in 2017 but I am confident that all of us are very happy that it is taking place today.