China says resumption of direct flights with India positive move to improve ties

China on Thursday described the resumption of direct flights with India after a fiveyear hiatus as a positive step saying it demonstrated that both countries are faithfully acting on the understandings reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to strengthen bilateral tiesSpeaking at a media briefing the first since the Chinese Foreign Ministry resumed its regular schedule following the eightday national holidays spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the flights would resume by the end of OctoberIndia had announced on October 2 that direct flights to China would resume from October 26This is the latest move that demonstrates how the two countries are faithfully acting on the important common understanding between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin on Aug 31 Guo said in response to a questionModi and Xi had met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO summit in Tianjin and welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting at Kazan Russia in October 2024Guo said China stands ready to work with India to view and manage bilateral relations from a strategic and longterm perspective to be friends good neighbours and partners who support each others successHe used a metaphor of a cooperative pas de deux dance of the dragon and the elephant to emphasise the shared responsibilities of China and India in promoting peace prosperity and greater deliverables for the people of both countries and for Asia at largeChinese airlines such as Air China which previously operated flights between the two countries have not yet announced formal plans for resumptionIndian carrier IndiGo and China Eastern will be the first two airlines to resume direct flights between the two countries people familiar with the development had said IndiGo had said in a statement that it plans to operate daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou from October 26Subject to regulatory approvals IndiGo will also introduce direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou shortly it saidThe flight services between the two sides were suspended following the COVID19 pandemic in 2020 They were not restored in view of the overfouryear border faceoff in eastern Ladakh which ended in October last yearThe Ministry of Civil Aviation had said India and China would resume direct air services by the end of OctoberThis follows continuous technicallevel engagement between civil aviation authorities as part of broader efforts to normalise bilateral ties it saidThe move will greatly enhance air connectivity support peopletopeople exchanges and contribute to the strengthening of economic collaboration between the two countries it addedIn his remarks during the Tianjin meeting with President Xi on August 31 Prime Minister Modi had stated that the resumption of direct flights was under considerationIndiaChina relations plunged to their lowest point since the 1962 war following the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020 After a series of diplomatic and military talks the two sides withdrew their troops from several friction points along the Line of Actual Control LAC in eastern LadakhIn October last year the two sides firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok the last two friction pointsDays after the agreement was finalised Modi and Xi held talks in Kazan and took a number of decisions to improve the tiesIn the last few months the two sides have taken a series of measures to repair the ties including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar YatraThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever