Beijing: China on Thursday welcomed the resumption of direct flights with India, calling it an “active move” that facilitates friendly exchanges between the two nations. Responding to a question during a regular media briefing in Beijing, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that the decision demonstrates how the two nations “faithfully act” on the important common understandings reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their recent meeting in Tianjin.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also expressed Beijing’s readiness to work with New Delhi to handle bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective.
“China and India will restart direct flights before the end of October this year. This is the latest move that demonstrates how the two sides faithfully act on the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin on August 31. It’s also an active move that facilitates the friendly exchanges of over 2.8 billion Chinese and Indian people.
“China stands ready to work with India to view and handle bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, be friends enjoying good-neighbourliness and partners helping each other succeed, and realize a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant so as to deliver more tangibly for the two peoples and make due contributions to upholding peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond,” Guo mentioned.
On October 2, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025.
The civil aviation authorities of the two countries have been engaged in technical-level discussions on resuming direct air services between the two countries and on a revised Air Services Agreement since the start of this year as part of the Indian government’s approach towards gradual normalisation of relations between both countries.
“Following these discussions, it has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025, in keeping with the winter season schedule, subject to commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria,” read a statement issued by the MEA.
“This agreement of the civil aviation authorities will further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges,” it added. (IANS)
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