China said it emphasized proper handling of differences and promotion of India-China relations on a stable track in the just concluded talks with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri while highlighting decisions to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri who landed here on Sunday for a two-day visit held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Sun Weidong on Monday to stabilize and rebuild relations stalled for over four years due to the military standoff at Eastern Ladakh.
Misri was the former Ambassador to Beijing, while Sun was the former envoy to Delhi.
In a statement issued yesterday, the External Affairs Ministry stated that both sides reviewed comprehensively the current state of bilateral relations between India and China and agreed to take certain people-centric steps to "stabilise and rebuild ties".
In its readout in Mandarin issued early Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the dialogue focused on promoting the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of China and India in the Kazan meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit last year, and discussed measures for improvement and development of China-India relations.
It has drawn attention to the consensus that emerged between both parties during the discussion, such as the reinitiation of direct flights, the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra for Indian pilgrims and a meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism regarding the resumption of provision in sharing hydrological data relating to trans-border rivers.
The readout said in the talks, China emphasized that the two sides should proceed from the fundamental interests of China, India and adhere to the strategic height and long-term perspective of China-India relations.
It said the two sides should actively promote dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation with a frank and constructive attitude, positively guide public opinion, increase trust and resolve misgivings, properly handle differences, and promote the development of ties on a healthy and stable track. The two sides have an open and in-depth exchange of views on issues of mutual concern, it said.
It said India has expressed willingness to fully support China's work as the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) this year and will actively participate in various activities hosted by Beijing under the framework of the organisation. Highlighting the consensus reached between the two sides on issues, it added.
It said the two sides agreed to use bilateral and multilateral occasions to carry out active interactions at all levels, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political mutual trust.
Both sides agreed to jointly commemorate this year the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India and carry out media and think tank exchanges, track two dialogue and other cultural exchanges.
They also agreed to resume direct flights between the two countries and take measures to facilitate personnel exchange and journalist exchange between the two countries.
The facilitation of the media exchange raised the expectations of journalists from both the countries to resume both returning to reopen their bureaus after a two-year disruption.
At present, China allows only the PTI bureau to operate from Beijing.
The two sides also agreed to promote the resumption of Indian pilgrims' pilgrimage to Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in China's Tibet Autonomous Region this year relevant arrangements will be negotiated as soon as possible, the readout said.
The two sides also agreed to continue cross-border river cooperation and maintain communication by holding a new round of expert mechanism meetings as soon as possible.
India and China, in 2006, instituted the Expert Level Mechanism that discusses several trans-border rivers related issues under which China shares India hydrological data of the Brahmaputra river and Sutlej river during flood seasons.
India has expressed serious concern over the decision of China to construct the world's largest hydropower dam over Brahmaputra also known as Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet.
During his visit, Misri called on Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Liu Jianchao, the Minister of the influential International Department of the ruling Communist Party of China.
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