Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang (L) meets with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting in Goa, India, May 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

GOA, India, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang has called for joint efforts with India to bring bilateral relations back on the track of stable and sound development.

Qin made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar here on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting, noting that the two most populous developing countries are both at a crucial stage of modernization.

Qin said the two sides should learn from history and handle bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

He called on the two neighbors to respect, learn from and reinforce each other, and embark on a new path of harmonious coexistence, peaceful development and common revitalization, contributing to their respective national rejuvenation and injecting stability and positive energy into world peace and development.

China is willing to work with India to carry out bilateral consultation and exchange, enhance dialogue and cooperation under multilateral frameworks, and deepen coordination and collaboration on international and regional issues, Qin said.

He pointed out that the current situation on the China-India borders is generally stable.

Both sides should continue to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, consolidate the existing achievements, strictly abide by relevant agreements, take joint action to further ease and cool down the border situation, and maintain sustainable peace and tranquility in the border areas, the Chinese foreign minister said.

For his part, Jaishankar said India and China need to strengthen cooperation in many areas, and that India hopes to continue to seek peace and stability in the border areas with China through consultation.

Qin also said China supports India in hosting a successful SCO summit and hopes that India, as the current chair, will display the spirit of solidarity and collaboration and play a positive role in making the summit a success.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.