New Delhi: In a rare acknowledgement, China’s newly appointed defence attache to India, Rear Admiral You Jian, thanked the Indian military for rescuing 12 Chinese crew members from a cargo ship that caught fire and exploded off the coast of Kerala last year, while calling for greater communication and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries as ties improve between New Delhi and Beijing.
Rear Admiral Jian was speaking at the reception marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), when he made the remarks.
“China and India are important neighbours, and both are at a critical stage of development and rejuvenation. We are pleased to see that, under the strategic guidance of our leaders, China-India relations have returned to the correct path of improvement and development.”
“We will not forget that, last June, the Indian military rescued 12 Chinese crew members from a cargo ship that caught fire and exploded off the coast of Kerala,” he said, as reported by ANI.
Rear Admiral Jian also highlighted the role played by the armed forces of both countries in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
“We need to remember that both the Chinese and Indian armed forces have made outstanding contributions and great sacrifices in UN peacekeeping operations. We have always believed that the common interests between our two countries far outweigh our differences,” he said.
He expressed Beijing’s willingness to deepen military engagement with India and said: “We are willing to work with the Indian side to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels, enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation through dialogue, and contribute to the well-being of the peoples of China and India.”
The Chinese defence attache concluded his remarks by saying: “I wish for the continued improvement of China-India relations.”
This comes at a time when ties between the two neighbours seem to have gained some momentum after meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping, followed by meetings with key officials from both sides.