New era for China-South Asia cooperation

President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit to Nepal on Sunday after holding his second informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and Saturday. Generating tangible results, Xi's trip has opened a new chapter in China's relations with the two countries, and signaled that China's cooperation with its two neighbors has entered a new era.

First of all, the informal meeting mechanism between the Chinese and Indian leaders has provided a platform for the two sides to grasp and set the development direction for the bilateral relationship, expand the areas for cooperation and resolve real problems through negotiations. Featuring the guidance from the top leaders, the mechanism of regular informal meetings conforms to the development needs of both countries, and acts as a stabilizer and booster of bilateral ties. The informal meeting mechanism has also provided a new way of thinking about the development of the two countries' relations amid the unprecedented changes in the international relations arena.

In addition, the meeting between Xi and Modi focused on development and deepening cooperation, meeting the new demands of both countries at their respective development stages. The two leaders exchanged their aspirations for development and their respective country's development goals and enhanced understanding of each other's development strategies. Both China and India are deepening reform and unleashing its potential, which has provided new momentum for the two countries to increase cooperation.

During their meeting this time, the two leaders also proposed to further develop the mechanism of bilateral economic cooperation, such as by establishing a high-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism to cement trade and investment cooperation and promote the balanced development of bilateral economic and trade collaboration.

Good momentum is being seen in bilateral economic and trade cooperation with the trade volume this year expected to surpass $100 billion. The high-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism to be built will provide beneficial experiences for global trade development and management of economic and trade issues among countries. Besides, China and India have also agreed to discuss and build a manufacturing partnership and encourage mutual investment in each other's areas of promise. The partnership will be promoted during the high-level economic and trade dialogues. That China, a major manufacturer, and India, which is vigorously spearheading the Make in India initiative, will join hands to establish a manufacturing partnership, embodies the two countries' determination to prevent destructive competition and sincerity to engage in mutually beneficial collaboration.

Furthermore, conducting candid talks with the Indian and Nepalese leaders Xi has sought to seek common ground with the two South Asian countries. New progress has been made in the connectivity building by China and South Asia. India does not oppose the infrastructure and connectivity construction conducive to regional development although it has worries about the China-led Belt and Road Initiative. Both Xi and Modi believe that an open, inclusive, prosperous and stable environment and more connectivity are essential for regional prosperity and stability. It is thus absolutely possible for China and India to locate programs that are of common interest. The connectivity building program among China, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh is in line with each participant's interests and China is willing to actively propel the program forward with the others.

What is encouraging is that China and Nepal have brought forward the new objective of improving connectivity and constructing the trans-Himalayan connectivity network. Nepal, a proactive participant in China's Belt and Road Initiative, is considering upgrading the trans-border highway, launching feasibility research on a trans-border railway, gradually increasing border ports and direct flights and enhancing communications collaboration with China. With the interconnectivity between China and Nepal expanding, more room for trilateral interconnectivity cooperation among China, India and Nepal is expected to be found.

What's more, China, India and Nepal can learn from each other in terms of country governance. Both at the key development stage of rising to be a major country and realizing national rejuvenation, China and India have a lot of common needs in governance. Besides, cultural exchanges, religion, arts, philosophy, exchange of students, poverty alleviation, environmental protection and sustainable development all provide room for closer cooperation among the three countries.

Thanks to Xi's visit, new impetus was injected into the relationship between China and the two South Asian countries and new room for development explored. Development will drive trilateral cooperation forward. As China and its South Asian neighbors focus on development, pragmatic cooperation, management of divergences and enhanced communications, a new era for China-South Asia cooperation is being ushered in.

The author is a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.