Beijing, China, September 10: India’s Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, has said the upcoming BRICS Summit hosted by India can provide an opportunity to expand cooperation between India and China in areas including trade, connectivity, climate action, public health and the digital economy.
In an opinion article published in the Chinese daily Global Times, Doraiswami said a stable and predictable relationship between the two countries was important for their populations and for global peace, stability and economic development.
“As we look toward the upcoming BRICS summit hosted by India, there is a valuable opportunity to deepen China-India cooperation on issues of mutual concern, from trade and connectivity to climate action, public health and the digital economy,” he wrote.
The Ambassador referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year that India and China are “cooperation partners, not rivals” and that the two countries should view each other as development opportunities rather than threats.
Doraiswami said the relationship between the two countries should be guided by mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest. He also underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas as a foundation for bilateral cooperation.
He referred to the historical exchanges between India and China, including the movement of philosophy, medicine and commodities such as sugar, paper and spices, as part of the long-standing contacts between the two civilisations.
On India’s economic and technological development, Doraiswami said the country had maintained growth of around seven per cent and highlighted expansion in electricity access, banking services, digital payments, space technology and innovation.
Meanwhile, China on Wednesday said it attaches importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India in hosting this year’s leaders’ summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to attend the summit.