China: Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his second term and this the top Chinese diplomats believe is “a new era” of Chinese “neighbourhood diplomacy” and that China is now “ready to work with India”.
President Xi will be travelling to Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders’ summit as his first overseen visit in his second term. The officials on this Friday announced that he shal also visit to Vietnam and Laos.
Chen Xiaodong, Assistant Foreign Minister, told the media that Xi’s visit can be described as “guiding principle” for the nation’s relations with its neighbours, which had been earlier outlined at the October 18-24 Party Congress in Beijing adding that the “progress” in the South China Sea issue “shows countries in the region have the willingness, wisdom and ability to properly handle the South China Sea issue.”
Affirming Xi’s status as the party’s leader ahead of his second term the congress party had also enshrined his ideological contribution into the party constitution.
Chen added that China “hopes countries outside the region can look at the positive progress in the South China Sea situation in an objective manner” and help maintain peace and stability in the disputed region. He was indirectly referring to the US.
He said the President’s visit “will help open neighbourhood diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for a new era, the goal of which is to foster a new type of international relations and build a community of shared future for mankind. This will be the overall direction for neighbourhood diplomacy for China in the next stage.”
“President Xi also elaborated on China’s neighbourhood diplomacy focusing on the principle of sincerity, amity, inclusiveness and mutual benefit, and neighbourhood diplomacy aimed at building partnerships and friends with neighbours. We have been following this concept past few years in cooperation with neighbours and in deepening our political mutual trust. This is a guiding principle.”
Speaking about the relations China has with India, Chen said, “India is an important neighbour of China. China attaches great importance to relations with India. We are ready to work with India to promote constant progress of bilateral relations guided by neighbourhood diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for a new era.”
But whether this will see any change in the recent tensions in relations is unclear. Only on Thursday, China for the second year running blocked an application to designate the Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council sanctions committee.
Earlier in September, PM Modi and Xi had met in Xiamen at the BRICS Summit held after the August 28 disengagement after the 72-day border stand-off at Doklam near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction and agreed to adopt “a forward looking” approach to the relationship between the two countries.
Chinese Foreign Minister on Thursday said both the neighbouring countries had “properly settled this issue through diplomatic means consistent with our common interest.”
Spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media, “We hope India can follow historical conventions and work with China to ensure peace and tranquility of the border area”.