Xi Says Beijing Ready to Mend Ties With India Under New President
10:02 GMT 25.07.2022 (Updated: 10:03 GMT 25.07.2022)
© Huang JingwenAt the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the Leaders Summit on Climate via video link and delivers an important speech titled "For Man and Nature: Building a Community of Life Together" in Beijing, capital of China, April 22, 2021.
Subscribe
BEIJING (Sputnik) - Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Draupadi Murmu on Monday on her election as President of India and expressed readiness to resolve differences between the two countries.
On Thursday, the nominee from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected as president. She became the second female president of India after Pratibha Patil, who served from 2007-2012, and the first female tribal head of state in India's history. On Monday, Murmu took the oath and officially assumed the presidency.
"I attach great importance to China-India relations, and am 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," Xi wrote to Murmu, in a message cited by the state-run China Central Television.
Xi wrote that a "healthy and stable" relationship between China and India is in the fundamental interest of both nations and will contribute to regional and world peace, stability and development, the report said.
China and India lack a marked border, which has been a source of armed clashes in disputed areas, especially in the Himalayas. The latest largest escalation took place in May 2020 near Lake Pangong. Chinese and Indian military held several rounds of talks before an agreement was reached in February to start disengagement of troops.