Chinese leader Xi Jinping informed India's Narendra Modi that the “correct choice” is for their nations to establish a friendship during their meeting in China, marking their first encounter in seven years – a significant development in a budding rapprochement between the most populous countries in the world, boosted by mutual tensions with the US.
Xi and Modi’s highly awaited meeting took place alongside a regional summit in the eastern port city of Tianjin, as both nations encounter significant US tariffs resulting from President Donald Trump’s global trade conflict, along with Western scrutiny regarding their connections with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The world today is experiencing transformative changes not seen in a century,” Xi stated to Modi in his opening remarks, as both leaders sat face-to-face with their officials beside them. “The international landscape is both unpredictable and chaotic,” he added.
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“It is the right choice for both sides to cultivate a friendship based on good neighborliness and harmony, as partners who facilitate each other’s success, allowing the dragon and the elephant to coexist peacefully,” Xi mentioned, referring to the traditional symbols of the two countries.
“As long as we adhere to the broader vision of being partners rather than adversaries … the China-India relationship can sustain stability and advance over the long term,” he said.
Modi expressed India’s “commitment” to advancing their bilateral relations “grounded in mutual trust and respect,” and highlighted their improving ties, including a reduction of tensions along their contested Himalayan border – where they experienced a deadly clash in 2020.
“The welfare of 2.8 billion individuals in both of our nations is linked to our collaborative efforts,” he remarked.
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The optimistic indicators will undoubtedly attract close attention in Washington, where tensions with New Delhi may jeopardize the years of efforts from US diplomats to strengthen ties with India as a crucial counterbalance to an increasingly assertive China – circumstances that enhance the significance and timeliness of this latest meeting for Xi.