Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong

April 1 marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and India. In a recent interview with the Global Times, Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong said the relationship is at a crucial stage, urging both sides to overcome obstacles and take proactive steps to advance cooperation. Xu said that India was among the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and the first non-socialist country to establish diplomatic ties with China. 

A review of the 75-year history of China-India relations shows that, despite periods of turbulence, the relationship has generally maintained a positive trajectory, with friendly exchanges and practical cooperation remaining the dominant theme, said Xu.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized, from any point of view, China and India should be good neighbors who live in harmony and work together as good partners, the ambassador noted.

In October last year, President Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a successful bilateral meeting in Kazan, Russia, setting the tone for overcoming challenges in China-India relations and signaling a new phase of engagement. Since then, both sides have worked to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthening exchanges at various levels and achieving a series of positive outcomes, Xu said. 

In recent months, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met several times at multilateral events. The two countries also held the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for China-India Boundary Question in Beijing in December, 2024 as well as China-India Vice Foreign Minister-Foreign Secretary Dialogue in January, reaching broad consensus on bilateral relations, practical cooperation, and boundary issues, according to Xinhua reports. 

The Chinese Ambassador noted that such frequent and constructive interactions have been rare in recent years, signaling that China-India relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development. Moving forward, both sides will need to further overcome obstacles, remove disruptions, and take proactive steps to sustain and build on this positive momentum, he said.

The ambassador also noted Modi's recent remarks in a podcast interview, in which he emphasized dialogue over discord, acknowledging that differences between neighboring countries are natural, but must not escalate into disputes.

Modi's remarks reflect the importance the Indian leadership attaches to China-India relations, said Xu, noting that in response, the Chinese side promptly addressed the remarks through a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasizing that a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides. Xu said he noticed that the statement received widespread coverage in Indian media, many of which spotlighted the phrase "dragon-elephant tango."

"History has repeatedly shown that the significance of China-India relations goes far beyond the bilateral level, carrying regional and global implications. Greater solidarity and cooperation between the two will benefit Asia and positively impact the world," said Xu. 

As spring arrives, China and India are set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, marking an important milestone in their shared journey. China stands ready to work with India to review the journey of the past, chart a vision for the future, properly manage differences, and steadily advance exchanges and cooperation across various levels and sectors, Xu told the Global Times.

 

Common denominator of China and India

When asked about deepening cooperation, the Chinese ambassador said both nations are undergoing key modernization phases, and that development remains their "greatest common denominator." Xu said China is advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, while India has put forward the Viksit Bharat vision of building India into a developed nation by the centenary of its independence in 2047. He added that China is ready to align strategies with India, support mutual progress, and pursue shared growth as partners on the path to modernization.

"We are willing to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market. We also welcome more Indian enterprises to cross the Himalayas and seek opportunities for cooperation in China, sharing the dividends of China's development." 

At the same time, we hope India will create a fair and transparent business climate for Chinese companies, further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and delivering more tangible benefits to the two countries and their peoples, said the ambassador. 

Ambassador Xu also noted that amid accelerating changes unseen in a century, China and India — as two key forces in the global trend toward multipolarity, two major engines of world economic growth, and leading voices of the Global South — have once again found themselves at the forefront of the times.

As President Xi pointed out that "if China and India speak with one voice, the whole world will listen; and if we join hands, the whole world will pay attention," the two countries are called upon to uphold and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, enhance coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, said Xu.

Xu urged both sides to help build a fairer global order and jointly address major challenges including climate change, terrorism, and food and energy security, contributing to peace and shared prosperity of the world.

 

Promote exchanges

During the Vice Foreign Minister-Foreign Secretary Dialogue, China and India agreed to resume direct passenger flights and take steps to ease travel and journalist exchanges.

In 2019, about 50 direct flights connected the two countries each week. These routes were suspended due to the pandemic and remain inactive.

Many Indian and Chinese friends have complained this, Xu said, noting that the lack of direct flights forces them to transit through third countries, which is time-consuming, costly, and inconvenient. There is a strong expectation on both sides for the early resumption of direct flights.

Media plays a crucial role in boosting China-India understanding. However, due to certain reasons, China has not been able to dispatch resident journalists to India for the past two years. At present, the relevant authorities of both countries are engaged in active consultations on the resumption of direct flights and the exchange of resident journalists, working on specific arrangements, said the ambassador. 

Xu expressed hope that India will move toward the same direction to achieve concrete progress, enhancing people-to-people ties and practical cooperation.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, the two countries have agreed to launch a series of activities, including media and think tank exchanges, Track II dialogues, and other people-to-people initiatives. 

"The foundation of state-to-state relations lies in the affinity between peoples. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and India have stood the test of time, enduring historical changes and geopolitical shifts, and have laid a profound foundation for mutual learning between two ancient Eastern civilizations. These exchanges have become a lasting spiritual bond that continues to nurture and sustain China-India relations."

Xu said China is committed to people-to-people exchanges, noting that its embassy and consulates issued 280,000 visas to Indian citizens last year. In the first quarter of this year, around 70,000 visas were issued, representing about a 15 percent year-on-year increase. 

More exchanges involving media, think tanks, and youth are planned this year to spark new ideas and deepen mutual understanding, according to Xu.



Future lies in Youth 

Since assuming office as the 17th Chinese Ambassador to India in May 2024, Xu has traveled across the country and engaged with people from all walks of life.

Xu said his travels let him feel the energy of India's rapid development and its rich, diverse culture. "China and India share close historical ties, similar values, and a strong foundation of friendship built on shared goals of prosperity," he said.

China and India have the world's largest youth populations, and the exchanges and interactions between the young people of our two countries are particularly noteworthy, Xu said, noting that the Chinese Embassy has organized a series of events and through these activities, they had many face-to-face exchanges with young Indian friends. 

From their energy, we see the future of our nations; from their curiosity and aspiration for China, we are more confident about China-India friendship, said the ambassador. 

"I sincerely hope that more young friends from both countries will visit each other's countries, walk around and see for themselves, becoming envoys of friendship who connect hearts, foster mutual learning, and deepen understanding between the peoples of China and India," said the ambassador.