China ready to work with India to accommodate each other’s concerns: Beijing

BEIJING: China is ready to work with India to “accommodate” each other’s concerns and find a mutually acceptable solution to “specific issues” through dialogue at an early date, Beijing’s new envoy to New Delhi Xu Feihong has said in remarks that came against the backdrop of the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

An Assistant Minister ranked official, Xu, 60, appointed by Chinese President Xi Jinping for the sensitive job, said he regards his posting in New Delhi as an honourable mission and a sacred duty to improve and advance bilateral ties.

“It is an honourable mission and a sacred duty. I will do my best to deepen understanding and friendship between the two peoples, expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and improve and advance the bilateral relationship,” Xu told PTI and China’s state-run CGTN-TV in a media interaction here before leaving for New Delhi to take up his posting.

“China is ready to work with India to accommodate each other’s concerns, find a mutually acceptable solution to specific issues through dialogue at an early date, and turn the page as soon as possible,” Xu said without elaborating further.

Xu previously served as China’s Ambassador to Afghanistan and Romania, besides senior cadre-level postings in the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

He succeeds veteran Chinese diplomat Sun Weidong, who completed his tenure in October 2022.

He is currently China’s Vice Foreign Minister.

Xu’s appointment comes after an unusually long delay of 18 months amid strained relations between the two countries over the Ladakh military standoff.

Relations between the two countries hit a low except for trade ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area.

The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.