Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering condolences on the massive second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India, the country’s state-owned news agency Xinhua reported. Xi also expressed his willingness to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation with India and offered to provide support and help.
“The human race belongs to a community with a shared future,” Xi said, according to Xinhua. “Only through solidarity and cooperation can all countries across the world defeat the pandemic finally.”
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had promised to help and provide support to India. “The coronavirus is the common enemy of mankind, and the international community needs solidarity and coordination for a concerted response,” Wang wrote in a letter to Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. A copy of the letter was tweeted by Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong.
Last week, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin had also said that Beijing was ready to provide outbreak prevention support and medical supplies to India.
However, there has been no reaction from the Indian government yet, nor has there been any confirmation on whether Beijing has officially conveyed to New Delhi its intention to extend help.
China’s advances came at a time when diplomatic relations between the two countries have been at their lowest point in the backdrop of the months-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.
A thaw in tensions was achieved in February when thousands of Indian and Chinese frontline troops disengaged from the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake in the Ladakh. However, they remain in a standoff in Gogra and Hot Springs, and one other place, Depsang.
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