DHAKA: As he engaged in talks with India prime minister Narendra Modi, Chinese president Xi Jinping came in for praise from an unlikely quarter, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who described him as ‘open-minded’ and ‘realistic’.

The Dalai Lama also said good India-China relations based on mutual trust will benefit not just Asia but the whole world, reports The Times of India.

‘Sino-Indian relations (build) on the basis of mutual trust are very important. Not only the whole of Asia, but the entire world can benefit from their (good) relations. Harmony can be brought by trust and not fear.’

‘I have faith in the new leadership. He (Xi) is open-minded and his way of working is quite realistic,’ the 79-year-old Buddhist monk said while addressing a gathering here to mark the 108th Foundation Day of Indian Merchants’ Chamber and its ladies’ wing.

He said Xi should take lessons from ‘strong’ Indian democratic practices and the ‘oneness’ in diversity.

‘India is a vast country with a huge population. Different parts of the country speak different languages, yet there is a sense of oneness among Indians. Democracy is practised strongly in the country and there is a free media. The Chinese president should learn these values from Indians,’ he said.

BDST: 1758 HRS, SEP 18, 2014