Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to India’s new President Droupadi Murmu, Chinese State media reported.
The message marked Mr. Xi’s first direct public communication with India since an offer of assistance during the April 2021 COVID-19 second wave.
Mr. Xi, in the message, said China and India are important neighbours to each other and “a healthy and stable China-India relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and is also conducive to regional and world peace, stability and development”.
He added that he attached “great importance to China-India relations” and was “willing to work with President Murmu to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, properly handle differences, and push forward China-India relations along the right track.”
Mr. Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not directly spoken since the start of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) crisis in April 2020. Both leaders could, however, meet in September at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which is expected to be held as an in-person event.
