'Xi Jinping & PM Modi reached consensus that ... ': What ambassador Xu Feihong said on India-China relations

NEW DELHI: Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong said on Wednesday that Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached a consensus that China and India are partners in "cooperation and development" instead of rivals.
"President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have reached an important consensus that China and India are not rivals or threats to each other, but are partners in cooperation and development opportunities.This provides a clear direction for our bilateral relations," Feihong said on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
"We should firmly implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, correctly view each other's development and strategic intentions and mutually accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns," he added.
The statement comes hours after foreign minister S Jaishankar re-affirmed that India and China's partnership is crucial to bring multipolarity in Asia and the world.
Hinting at the territorial dispute between the two nations, Feihong said, "It is normal for neighbours to have differences, the key is how to view and handle them correctly. China and India are two ancient civilizations. I am confident that we have enough wisdom and capability to properly handle the differences and find a solution acceptable to both sides."
India and China's relationship has been tense since 2020, when their militaries engaged in a standoff. Although the two sides have disengaged from several friction points, a complete resolution of the border dispute has yet to be reached.