HONG KONG, Jan 26 (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping said China and India were “good neighbours, friends and partners” as he wished President Droupadi Murmu congratulations on the South Asian nation’s Republic Day, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
Xi said that over the past year, China-India relations have continued to improve and develop and are of “great significance for maintaining and promoting world peace and prosperity,” according to Xinhua.
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Xi said China has always believed that being “good neighbours, friends and partners” is the right choice for both China and India.
He referred to China and India as the “dragon and the elephant dancing together,” Xinhua said.
Xi said he hoped that both sides would expand exchanges and cooperation and address each other’s concerns to promote healthy and stable relations.
The nuclear-armed Asian neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400-mile) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s.
Both countries began improving ties last year after staging a series of high-level bilateral visits.
Reporting by the Beijing newroom; Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Thomas Derpinghaus
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