Outgoing Chinese envoy to India Sun Weidong said on Tuesday that the two countries need to uphold the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

The Chinese ambassador also said that the two sides should strive to manage and resolve differences, and look for a proper solution through dialogue and consultation, instead of defining their bilateral relations by differences.

In recent years the two countries have faced number of border disputes including in Galwan standoff in eastern Ladakh, and Doklam plateau dispute near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction.

In his farewell address, the Chinese envoy also said that if the Western theory of geopolitics is applied to the India-China relationship, then major neighbouring countries will inevitably view each other as threats and rivals.

“If we view it as a kind of bad fate, it will make us suspect and undercut each other, compete and confront with each other, or even become rivals,” Sun said. “We should break out of the ‘geopolitics trap’ and find a new path that is different from the past.”

Sun’s remarks appeared to be a reference to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad which is a group of four countries – the United States, Australia, India, and Japan – working towards maritime co-operation. The bloc intends to offer partner countries an opportunity to counter China’s rising commercial presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Chinese ambassador said that the two countries should have enough wisdom to find a way to live in peace and achieve “win-win cooperation” as neighbouring and emerging economies.