Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In response to a media inquiry regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks on India-China ties in a podcast interview, in which he emphasized dialogue over discord, and also noted that differences two neighboring countries are also natural, but our focus is to ensure that these differences don't turn into disputes. That's what we actively work toward, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that Prime Minister Modi's recent positive remarks on China-India relations are appreciated. 

In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi held a successful meeting in Kazan, providing strategic guidance for improving and developing China-India relations. In recent months, both sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, strengthened exchanges and practical cooperation at various levels, and achieved a series of positive outcomes, said Mao.

Mao said that in the 2,000-year history of China-India interactions, friendly exchanges and mutual learning have been the mainstream, contributing significantly to world civilization and human progress. 

As the two largest developing countries, China and India share the common task of national development and revitalization. They should foster mutual understanding, mutual support, and mutual achievement, which aligns with the fundamental interests of their combined 2.8 billion people, meets the shared aspirations of regional countries, and follows the historical trend of the rising Global South. This approach also benefits global peace, stability, and prosperity, said Mao. 

Mao also noted that being partners in mutual achievement and realizing "a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for China and India." China is willing to work with India to fully implement the consensus reached by their leaders, take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to advance exchanges and cooperation across various fields and levels, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need to strengthen ties with China despite past tensions, advocating dialogue over discord and cooperation over conflict during an interview with MIT research scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman, which was released on Sunday. Modi also underscored that India and China should engage in healthy and natural competition rather than confrontation,according to Indian media reports.