BEIJING: China said on Tuesday ( Dec 17 ) it was willing to work with India to stabilise bilateral relations “at an early date” ahead of rare high-level talks this week on a decades-long border dispute.
The two most populous countries in the world have fierce geopolitical rivals and have accused one another of attempting to acquire territory along their illegal border, known as the Line of Actual Control.
Their shared 3, 500km border has been a persistent source of tension between the nuclear-armed mates.
Discussions on the subject would be the first in five years this week, which could point to a potential melt in relationships.
China’s foreign ministry official said the two nations ‘ officials were willing to “work together to implement the crucial consensus reached by the two nations ‘ leaders.”
Beijing had “enhance common trust through dialogue and communication, adequately handle differences with sincerity and good faith, and drive bilateral relations up to a stable and healthy track of development at an earlier date,” spokesman Lin Jian said.