On 7th May 2024, as Ambassador-designate to India, H.E. Xu Feihong received an interview from Chinese and Indian Journalists from CGTN and PTI before his leaving for India. The full interview is as follows:
CGTN: What is your first reaction to the appointment to be the Ambassador to India after considerable hiatus?
Ambassador Xu: It is my great honor to be appointed by His Excellency President Xi Jinping as the 17th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of India. It is an honorable 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. I look forward to, and I trust that I will have, the support and assistance from the Indian government and friends from all sectors as I work to perform my ambassadorial duties.
CGTN: What are your priorities soon after taking your post?
Ambassador Xu: Both China and India boast time-honored civilizations; we are each other's important neighbors, and the biggest emerging markets and developing countries of the world. As President Xi Jinping said, "If China and India speak with one voice, the whole world will listen; if the two countries join hands, the whole world will pay attention." I will follow the important consensus between our leaders, reach out to friends from all sectors of India, earnestly enhance the understanding and trust between the two sides, work to restore exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and create favorable conditions for a sound and steady China-India relationship. I am sure this is in the interest of both our countries, the region and the world, and is also what our people and the international community hope to see.
PTI: Your appointment comes in the midst of general elections in India. Does the timing have any significance?
Ambassador Xu: General elections are the most important political agenda for any country. As the incoming ambassador to India, I wish the elections all the best. A new government will take office following the election, and I am sure it will lead India to new progress across the board.
PTI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said recently that for India ties with China are important. He also said prolonged situation at the borders should be addressed urgently. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has reacted saying China and India maintain close communication through diplomatic and military channels on handling issues related to the border situation and have made positive progress. The boundary question does not represent the entirety of China-India relations, and it should be placed appropriately in bilateral relations and managed properly. But from India's point of view, how can there be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the state of the borders remains abnormal? What is your view?
Ambassador Xu: I noted Prime Minister Modi's comments on the importance of China-India ties, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded to that right afterwards. In August 2023, President Xi Jinping spoke with Prime Minister Modi during the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship, and stressed that the two countries should properly handle the boundary question and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas.
The Chinese side always believes that China-India ties should not be defined by any single issue or area; the boundary question is not the entirety of the relationship. Speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs in September 2014, President Xi Jinping said that we must not focus our attention only on differences and forget about our friendship and cooperation, still less should we allow the differences to stand in the way of our development and interfere with the overall growth of bilateral relations.
After the border incident in June 2020, China and India have stayed in communication through diplomatic and military channels. The two militaries have disengaged at four points in the western section of the border. The overall border situation is stable and under control, and border areas are peaceful and tranquil. 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.
PTI: How do you see the relations going forward in the light of frequent mention of India-China strategic rivalry in the neighborhood and beyond?
Ambassador Xu: President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have agreed on the important assessment that China and India are cooperation partners, not competitors, and reached an important common understanding that our two countries are each other's development opportunities, not threats. These should serve as the foundational guidelines for the growth of bilateral relations.
The world today is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century. We face multiple global challenges such as climate change, food and energy crises, weak economic recovery and so on. China and India hold similar positions when it comes to supporting multilateralism, promoting global recovery, safeguarding food security, responding to climate change, etc. Closer communication and coordination on global and regional affairs will not only bring opportunities to both countries and the world, but also add stability and positivity to international relations. It will have an important positive impact on the development of a fair and reasonable international order.
PTI: The trade between the two countries is booming but trade deficit for India is crossing over unsustainable US$ 100 billion. Will you be addressing India's concern with new initiatives during your tenure in India?
Ambassador Xu: There are multiple factors behind India's trade deficit. China understands India's concern. It is never our intention to seek trade surplus. The Chinese market is open to all countries, including India. We have sent many trade promotion delegations to India to buy Indian products, and we would like to see more marketable Indian products enter the Chinese market. We are ready to provide greater facilitation for India's participation at the China International Import Expo, the China-South Asia Expo, the Canton Fair and other platforms. We are also willing to help Indian companies cater to China's market demands and tap into the potential for commercial and trade cooperation. Last year, the Chinese diplomatic missions in India issued nearly 190,000 visas; over 80 percent were business visas. Business travels in both ways is good for bilateral trade. We hope that India can also provide more convenience to Chinese business people traveling to India for business opportunities.
