India, China must maintain cordial relations: Top Chinese official

Terming relations between China and India as "pretty close", a top Chinese official on 4 March, 2017 said the two countries should be "more sensitive" to each other's concerns to address their differences over key issues.

"China-India relations have been advancing pretty rapidly," Fu Ying, spokesperson of the China's parliament, the National People's Congress, said in a response to a question on India-China relations.

"We are pretty close and our leaders meet often and our militaries exchange visits and we have set up counter terrorism and transnational crime cooperation mechanism," she said at a crowded press conference in Beijing ahead of NPC's annual session starting on 6 March, 2017.

"On regional and international issues there is lot of common standing" between the two countries, she said.

When asked about differences over India's admission into the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG), declaring JeM leader Masood Azhar as terrorist by the UN and India's concerns over USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor going through PoK, she said the two sides are addressing them through dialogue.

She said the recent upgraded strategic dialogue in Beijing co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar was comprehensive in addressing the issues.

"I have read the report of India-China strategic dialogue. From what I can see it is wide ranging and goes deep and positive. I feel that when we look at the India-China relations we need to see the tree and we also see the woods," said Fu, who was former Vice Foreign Minister.

"Of course there are also some differences, some have been around for years and you mentioned some of them. I also hear China's concerns.