China is willing to speed up the resumption of exchanges and cooperation with India in various fields, resume direct flights at the earliest date and facilitate people-to-people exchanges, according to Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

Qin, who met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar yesterday on the margins of the G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting, China and India have shared interests in many areas, including safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries, promoting South-South cooperation, and addressing global challenges such as climate change.

The reported remarks made by the Chinese foreign minister at the meeting between the two foreign ministers were released by the official Chinese news agency Xinhua today.

Qin said that as neighbouring countries and major emerging economies, China and India have far more common interests than differences.

The development and revitalisation of China and India displayed the strength of developing countries, which would change the future of one-third of the world’s population, the future of Asia and even the whole world, he was quoted as saying.

The two sides, said Qin, should view their bilateral relations in the context of the once-in-a-century changes in the world, understand bilateral cooperation from the perspective of their respective national rejuvenation, and be partners on the path to modernisation.

He was of the view that the boundary issue should be put in the proper place in bilateral relations, adding that the situation on the borders should be brought under ”normalised management” as soon as possible.

He said China supported the Indian side in fulfilling its presidency of the G20 and was ready to strengthen communication and cooperation to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international equity and justice, so as to inject stability and positive energy into the world.

This was the first meeting between Jaishankar and Qin, who took charge as China’s foreign minister in December last year. Jaishankar made it clear to the Chinese foreign minister that the relations between the two countries were ‘abnormal’ and things could not become as usual until the border stand-off at Ladakh was resolved.