New Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong

Newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, who arrived in Delhi on Friday, said he looked forward to working hard for relations between the two countries.

Xu expressed his gratitude to the Foreign Ministry officials who welcomed him at the airport, Eritrean Ambassador to India Alem Tsehay Woldemariam and Chinese Embassy officials for welcoming him on his arrival in Delhi.

In a post on X, Xu Feihong said, “Arrived in Delhi this morning. On behalf of officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, His Excellency Ambassador of Eritrea to India Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam and my colleagues at the Embassy, ​​I thank you for your warm greetings. Look forward to working hard with everyone for #China-#India relations.

Reached Delhi early today. On behalf of officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, His Excellency Ambassador of Eritrea to India Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam and my colleagues at the Embassy, ​​I thank you for your warm greetings. Look forward to working hard with everyone. #China,#India relations. pic.twitter.com/5OAcIVBoMe

– Xu Feihong (@China_Amb_India) 10 May 2024

Xu Feihong is the 17th Chinese Ambassador to India. The last Chinese ambassador to India was Sun Weidong, who left in October 2022 after three years of service in Delhi, and took over as China’s vice foreign minister upon his return.

Sun Weidong left Delhi at a time when India and China were trying to manage relations through multiple channels after the Ladakh border clash in 2020, which remains the major issue between the two sides.

Since April 2020, India and China have held several rounds of diplomatic and military-level meetings on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

Earlier in March, India and China exchanged views on ways to achieve complete disengagement and resolve issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border areas, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. exchanged. Official press release.

The development comes at a time when India and China are holding the 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing on March 27.

According to the official release, the meeting was co-chaired by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, who led the Indian delegation, and the Director General of the Border and Oceans Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who led the Chinese delegation.

“The 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing on 27 March 2024. Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation. The Chinese delegation was led by the Director General of the Border and Oceans Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry,” the release said.

“Both sides exchanged in-depth views on achieving complete disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border areas and resolving outstanding issues,” it said.

After the meeting, India and China agreed to open diplomatic and military channels to maintain peace on the ground in the border areas.