Xi meets Modi: Chinese prez says 'right choice' for India-China to be friends, have the dragon & elephant come together

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said it is important for India and China to be friends and maintain good neighbourly ties during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

The bilateral meeting comes after a gap of seven years in Modi’s visit to China, at a time when both countries are looking to stabilise relations that were severely strained by the eastern Ladakh border row and at a time when Trump's tariffs have rattled global trade.

In his opening remarks, Xi said, “… China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East. We are the world’s two most populous countries, and we are also important members of the Global South. We both shoulder the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and promoting the progress of human society. It is the right choice for both countries to be friends who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other’s success, and to have the dragon and the elephant come together.”

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Meanwhile, Modi told Xi, “We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities.” He noted that an atmosphere of “peace and stability” has been created along the Himalayan frontier, which witnessed deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in 2020. He added that both sides have reached an agreement on border management, though details were not disclosed.

Direct flights between India and China, suspended since 2020, are set to resume, Modi said, though no timeline was given. Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi led to announcements on easing export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines, as well as agreements on border peace and reopening of trade routes. Beijing has also allowed Indian pilgrims access to Buddhist sites in Tibet, while both sides have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.

Ahead of his trip, Modi had underscored the need for cooperation between the two Asian economies in stabilising the global order.

In an interview with Japan’s The Yomiuri Shimbun, he said, “Given the current volatility in world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order.” Modi added that stable, predictable and amicable relations between the two neighbours could positively impact regional and global peace and prosperity.