中国国家主席习近平（左）和印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪（右）在中国东南部的福建省厦门市举行的金砖国家首脑会议期间会晤。（法新社）

8月28日，中国外交部发言人华春莹宣布，当日下午14点30分，在中印洞朗对峙的地方，印方将越界人员和设备全部撤回到边界印方一侧，中方现场人员对此进行了确认。至此，持续两个多月的紧张对峙告一段落。观察家注意到，双方对这一事件的结局虽然有不同的说法，但是人们对中印之间可能爆发战争的担忧就像一块石头落地，心理紧张瞬间消除。尽管两国国内的媒体和民间还在为谁输谁赢继续争执，但是两国官方和民间普遍对现有解决方式比较满意。应该说，任何外交谈判都没有单方面的胜者。如今，印方人员撤到边界印方一侧，说明中国的基本主张得到伸张，而中方的某些变通做法也使得印方在一定程度上保全了面子。这种做法应该被视为邻国处理复杂双边关系的应取之道。

在中印关系紧张期间，双方在洞朗前沿地区的摩擦不断升级，时间持续10周之久。随后各自浅近纵深甚至大纵深的军队都进行了机动和靠前部署，明确针对对方的实弹演习密集举行。各自的媒体都把洞朗对峙作为头版头条或报道的主要内容，不少媒体甚至放出狠话，使得军事对峙持续升温，民间情绪调门升高，双边关系受到严重损害。现在，摆在两国政府面前的问题是，如何真正消除未来发生摩擦的隐患，如何修复严重受损的双边关系，如何使民众的情绪趋于冷静。

笔者认为，双方都应该在减少战略误判方面作出反思。两国领导人应该利用有限的机会进行高层对话，通过有效和有益的对话，发送积极的善意和正面的信息，以此消除战略敌意，减少战略疑虑。这是中印处理双边关系的根本。只有明确互不构成威胁，才可能建立基本的互信。尽管中印之间还存在着边界争端、达赖集团和地缘政治方面的利益矛盾，但是中印绝不应该成为敌对的国家。中印山水相连，作为邻居是地理决定的，所以必须处理好双边关系。我们应该承认争端，承认分歧，但是中印之间的共同利益远远大于分歧，双方应该寻求一条适宜的相处之道。中国的国家战略是实现“两个一百年”的复兴，坚持走和平发展的道路。印度也在寻求快速发展的强国之路，缩小包括与中国在内的其他大国的差距。两个国家都难以承受相互敌对的状态，睦邻合作才是正确的选择。

其次，双方应该努力建立更为紧密的发展伙伴关系。中国正在努力发展经济，力争在业已取得的成就基础上，加快实现经济的转型发展，实现高效、优质、环保前提下的较高增长率，进一步提高人民的生活水平。印度莫迪政府提出建立“新印度”的奋斗目标，希望通过大力改善基础设施，加快经济的增长，使印度成为一个现代国家。在这方面，中印合作的潜力十分巨大。中国在基础设施建设方面具有很多成功的经验和技术，在对外投资方面拥有雄厚的资本，拥有13亿以上人口的印度是一个容量巨大的市场。双方开展经贸合作，将取得互利共赢的结果。

其三，双方应该加强媒体的管控和引导。此次洞朗事件持续期间，双方的媒体都发表了不少观点极端甚至是突破外交底线的文章。在当今信息渠道十分发达的情况下，这些极不负责的言论直接引发了极端负面的效应，导致民族主义情绪蔓延，民粹主义毒瘤滋生，民众对对方的感情严重下滑。

最后但同样重要的，就是应大力开展民间交流。从目前的情况来看，中印两国民众的来往数量很少，彼此缺乏深入的认知。缺乏对对方历史积淀、文化传统、民族心理和战略理念的了解，就很容易受到偏见的影响。一有外交风波或军事摩擦，人们的情感很容易波动、冲动，对政府决策产生制约。此外，建立学术机构之间的“二轨”沟通，或者建立半官半民的“一轨半”机制，也应该积极予以考虑。

中印关系具有战略意义和全局影响。中印关系的走向对双边关系的改善，对各自的南亚外交，对大国关系的博弈以及国际舞台的合作极其重要。我们真诚希望两国从战略性的高度，以前瞻性的视角减少突发性摩擦，避免零和局面。真诚希望双方尽力减少战略误判，减少安全疑虑，减少边界摩擦，努力修复受到严重损伤的关系，使之尽快重返健康稳定发展的轨道。

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet during the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, southeastern China’s Fujian Province. (AFP)

Fears of war between China and India subsided on 28th August as Indian troops pulled back from Chinese territory in the Donglang area after a 10-week intrusion.The withdrawal was verified by Chinese personnel and the Chinese Foreign Ministry that day.Most observers concluded that the governments and public in both countries seemed fairly satisfied about the resolution of the standoff, although some people are still arguing about which country won the confrontation.In fact, there is no clear winner in diplomatic negotiations. The fact that the Indian intruders returned to their side of the border means China's claim was largely recognized. Meanwhile, China's flexibility on the matter helped New Delhi save face. This practice can serve as an example for neighboring countries in handling their complicated bilateral relations.

During the Donglang standoff, tensions rose as both sides deployed more troops to the border regions and even carried out large-scale live fire maneuvers in adjacent areas. The media in both countries kept reporting the confrontation as the top story, with some even threatening war, escalating the situation and stirring up extreme nationalism amongst the public. The governments of both countries need to give serious thought to eliminating the possibility of a renewal of border clashes, patching up frayed bilateral ties, and leading public sentiment back to rationality.

Both countries should reflect on how well they prevented strategic misjudgment. Their leaders should conduct high-level dialogues to reduce strategic hostility and misgivings. Only by ensuring that they do not threaten each other can they establish mutual trust. Despite border disputes, disagreements over the Dalai Lama, and geographical political conflicts, China and India should not be enemies. Their geographical proximity makes it imperative to maintain a good bilateral relationship.The two countries need to acknowledge their disputes, but they should not lose sight of the fact that their common interests far outweigh their differences. China is striving for national rejuvenation through peaceful development, while India is also striving for rapid growth to narrow the gap between itself and other big powers. Neither of the two can afford long-term mutual hostility. They should try to be good neighbors.

Secondly, they should strive to establish a closer partnership for development. China is stepping up the transition of its economic growth model to achieve a higher growth rate on the basis of efficient and environment-friendly development, to raise its peoples' living standards. Narendra Modi's administration has set the goal of building a “New India,” accelerating economic growth by improving infrastructure. There is huge potential for Sino- Indian cooperation. China boasts experience and technology in infrastructure construction and has abundant capital for overseas investment while India, with a population of 1.3 billion, is an enormous market, presenting an opportunity for win-win economic and commercial cooperation.

Thirdly, both countries should strengthen guidance for the media. During the Donglang incident, the media of both countries published many opinions that went to extremes, some even breaking the diplomatic bottom line. These irresponsible remarks spread fast, stirring up nationalism and extreme populism and eroding the trust between the Chinese and the Indian people.

Lastly, the two countries should encourage more exchanges. The present people-to-people exchanges are inadequate to combat misunderstandings. Insufficient knowledge of the other side's history, culture, ethnic psychology and strategic concepts easily leads to prejudice, which often triggers public agitation during a diplomatic or military crisis. Such public sentiment constrains their governments. A communication mechanism between the two countries' academic institutions or a quasi-governmental exchange mechanism should be considered.

The Sino-Indian relationship is of global importance. I hope the two countries will avoid strategic misjudgment, reduce mutual suspicion, and ease border tensions so their relationship will return to the track of healthy and stable development.