As India pulls out all stops to roll out a grand welcome to President Xi Jinping in ancient seaside temple town, Mahabalipuram, China has said the two countries pose no threat to each other and greater cooperation between the two Asian giants would inject positive energy in ensuring peace and stability in the region and beyond.
In an exclusive interview to PTI, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said a "new set of consensus" including "guiding principles" on the development direction of India-China ties are expected to emerge from the two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi beginning Friday.
The envoy said as the largest developing countries and emerging economies of the world, China and India have a responsibility to inject positive energy into a "complicated world".
"We believe that the Summit will take bilateral relations to a higher level and have a major and positive impact on regional and world peace, stability and development," Sun said.
Xi will arrive in Chennai on Friday on a nearly 24-hour visit to hold talks with Modi in an informal setting amid growing unease in ties between the two countries over Kashmir, particularly after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the issue during talks with the Chinese leader in Beijing on Wednesday.
"The two countries pose no threat but offer development opportunities to each other. The cooperation between China and India will not only contribute to each other's development, but also advance the process of world multi-polarisation and economic globalisation and safeguard the common interests of developing countries," Sun said.
The Chinese envoy said the two leaders will also have in-depth discussions on the international situation and overall, long-term and strategic issues concerning the development of ties between China and India.
"A new set of consensus is expected, including a shared vision for transformation of the international system, the common responsibility and role of China and India in regional affairs, and guiding principles on the development direction of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields," Sun said.
"We believe that the Summit will take bilateral relations to a higher level and have a major and positive impact on regional and world peace, stability and development," he said.
The envoy said deeper cooperation between India and China will benefit the developing countries as well as to deal with global challenges like unilateralism and protectionism.
"Unilateralism, protectionism and trade bullying are on the rise. The world is moving toward multi-polarity and economic globalisation despite twists and turns. The common threats and challenges facing human society have risen. As the largest developing countries and emerging economies of the world, China and India have a responsibility to inject positive energy into a complicated world," he said.
Ties between India and China came under renewed strain over Kashmir after a joint statement issued after talks between Xi and Khan on Wednesday said China is paying "close attention" to the situation in the Valley.
It also said that Kashmir issue is a dispute left from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter.
After Xi-Khan meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India's consistent and clear position has been that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and China is well aware of New Delhi's position.
Talking about overall Sino-India ties, the Chinese envoy particularly talked about cooperation in investment and energy sector, saying new progress has been made in the area.
Heading to India on Friday for his 2nd informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to present gifts to him that symbolises their friendship as well as friendly ties between the two countries.
Modi and Xi, who met numerous times in the last several years, built up a personal rapport culminating in their first informal summit at the Chinese city of Wuhan last year which helped to normalise the bilateral ties.
Xi plans to present Modi gifts that symbolises friendship between them and the two countries, the Chinese foreign ministry said in response to media queries.
Besides India, Xi would also travel to Nepal.
"The gifts embody the friendship between President Xi and the leaders of India and Nepal and the friendly relations between China and the two countries," the ministry said, without revealing the details.
At Wuhan summit, Modi gifted the paintings of the famous Chinese artist Xu Beihong who taught at the Viswa-Bharati University to President Xi.
Xu was known for his Chinese ink paintings of horses and birds and was one of the first Chinese artists to articulate the need for artistic expressions that reflected a modern China at the beginning of the 20th century.
The paintings depicted a horse and sparrows on grass.
Xu made those paintings during his stay in Viswa-Bharati university.
Xu also met Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi during his stay in India.
