DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN CHINESE MAINLAND AND INDIA TO RESUME

BEIJING, Jan 28 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- China and India agreed on Monday to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India, reported Xinhua, citing a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on Tuesday.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri held a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between China and India on Monday in Beijing. The discussion focused on promoting the implementation of the common understandings reached between Chinese and Indian leaders during their meeting in Kazan, as well as exploring measures to enhance and develop China-India relations, according to the statement.

The two sides reached a common understanding on the following specific measures:

First, India is willing to fully support China's work as the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and will actively participate in various activities hosted by China under the framework of the SCO.

Second, the two sides agreed to utilise bilateral and multilateral occasions to carry out active interactions at all levels, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political mutual trust.

Third, the two sides agreed to jointly commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India in 2025, and carry out media and think tank exchanges, Track II talks and other people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Fourth, the two sides agreed to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India, support the coordination and promotion of the competent departments of the two countries, and take measures to facilitate personnel exchanges and mutual dispatch of journalists between the two countries.

Fifth, the two sides agreed to promote the resumption of pilgrimage by Indian pilgrims to the sacred mountain and lake of Xizang in China in 2025, and will negotiate relevant arrangements as soon as possible.

Sixth, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation on cross-border rivers and to maintain communication on the early holding of a new round of meeting of the expert level mechanism on cross-border rivers.

The Chinese side emphasised that both sides should act in the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, adhere to viewing and handling China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and adopt an open and constructive attitude to actively promote dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation, guide public opinion and popular support toward the positive direction, enhance trust and remove suspicion, properly handle differences, and promote China-India relations to move forward along a sound and stable track.

 Both sides also had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on issues of respective concerns.  

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA