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China-India relations stable on the whole, says Beijing on Xi Jinping skipping G20 Meeting in New Delhi

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 06 Sep 2023, 07:11 pm

China, a nation that has been engaged in a conflict with India in recent times, on Tuesday said it supports New Delhi in hosting the G20 Summit in New Delhi and is ready to work with all parties in making the event successful.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry made the comment just days after it announced that President Xi Jinping would not attend the G20 Summit.

Instead of him, country's Premier Li Qiang will attend the event.

"The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. China always attaches high importance to and actively participates in relevant activities. We support India in hosting this year’s summit and stand ready to work with all parties to make the G20 summit a success," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

She said the China-India relationship have been stable on the whole and our two sides have maintained dialogue and communication at various levels.

"The continued improvement and growth of China-India relations serves the common interests of the two countries and two peoples. We stand ready to work with India to further improve and advance bilateral relations," she said.

She made the comment in the backdrop of the new "standard map" being issued by China last week that has triggered a row.

India lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with Beijing over the issue of the 2023 standard map of China that lays claim to India’s territory.

Also Read: Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip G20 Summit in India this week, Premier Li Qiang to attend

In response to media queries, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier said, "India rejects these claims as they have no basis."

"Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," the MEA spokesperson said.

India's response came after China on last Monday officially released the 2023 edition of its “standard map” where Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and the disputed South China Sea were all included within the Chinese territory.

The map was released days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi-Jinping called for a "resolution" of the long-standing border issues between the two nations on the sidelines of the 15th edition of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.

The two leaders also agreed to intensify efforts at expeditious "disengagement and de-escalation" to restore normal relationships between the two countries.