From K J M Varma
Beijing

Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s positive remarks on the Sino-India ties, China today said his visit here next week will provide a “great opportunity” to cement bilateral relationship and take it to a new high.

“We have taken note of the report. We appreciate Prime Minister Modi’s remarks on China India relations which also show the wide consensus on bilateral relations reached by leaders of the two countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.

She was responding to a question seeking China’s reaction to Modi’s interview to the Time magazine ahead of his visit in which he had said that India and China have “learnt from history” in dealing with their border dispute and that bilateral ties have reached a stage where they can cooperate at a global level while competing in commerce and trade.

Hua said as Prime Minister Modi is about to visit China, the two countries have a “great opportunity” at hand to boost ties.

“We would like to take this visit to cement the already existing momentum and take the relations to a new high,” Hua said.

“As we can see the two side have maintained positive momentum in the boundary negotiations. Disputes have been managed and peace and tranquillity has been maintained at the border,” she said.

Hua said recent years have witnessed frequent high-level interactions between China and India and increased political mutual trust.

“Cooperation in various fields has been stepped up,” she said.

“The two countries reached important consensus to deepen strategic cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity during last year’s successful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India during which the leaders mapped out future development in the next five to ten years,” she said.

Modi will embark on a three-day visit to China on May 14.

He will be hosted by Chinese President Xi at the ancient Chinese city of Xian, the capital of the Chinese leader’s home province.

The two leaders will have an informal dialogue on a host of issues before settling for formal talks on May 15 in Beijing.

Besides Xi, Modi will hold talks with Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC).

PTI