India's common interests far outweigh differences, Wang Yi tells envoy

India's common interests far outweigh their differences, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the Indian ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat on Wednesday.

Wang Yi met ambassador Rawat who assumed charge of India's top office in Beijing in March this year.

The Chinese foreign minister said the two sides should support rather than undermine each other, strengthen cooperation rather than guard against each other, and enhance mutual trust rather than be suspicious of each other, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the two sides should meet each other halfway to push bilateral relations back onto the track of stable and healthy development at an early date.

China's top diplomat said both sides should jointly address various global challenges, and safeguard the common interests of the two countries as well as the vast number of developing countries.

He called on both sides to adhere to the important strategic consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, insist on placing the border issue in a proper position within bilateral ties, and seek solutions through dialogue and consultation.

China and India should also give full play to their traditional advantages in people-to-people and cultural exchanges, continuously expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and work together to create a better future for mankind, he added.

India's ties with China deteriorated after the Chinese side undertook several attempts unilaterally to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector April-May 2020. These acts seriously disturbed the peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector.

After several rounds of talks, the two sides have agreed to manage their differences and not allow differences on any issue to become disputes. Further, the two sides agreed that pending the final settlement of the boundary question, maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an essential basis for the overall development of the bilateral relationship.

Talks between Wang Yi and ambassador Rawat came on the same day as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually attended the BRICS Business Forum.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday underlined the key role of BRICS countries amid the global focus on post covid recovery.

"BRICS was established with the belief that this group of emerging economies could emerge as engines of global growth. Today, when the world is focusing on post covid recovery, the role of BRICS countries will be very important," said PM Modi in a recorded keynote speech.

The Prime Minister noted that this year India is expecting 7.5 per cent growth and added that transformative changes are taking place in every sector of emerging New India.

He will be attending the 14th BRICS summit in a virtual mode on June 23-24.