Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s top aide and China’s chief diplomat yesterday hailed their nations’ warming ties, in another signal both sides are recalibrating their foreign policy amid mounting tariff pressure from US President Donald Trump.
“I am very happy that in the past nine months there has been an upward trend” in bilateral ties, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said ahead of a meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) in New Delhi. “Borders have been quiet, and there has been peace and tranquility.”
On his first visit to New Delhi in three years, Wang trumpeted improving ties between the Asian neighbors as an opportunity for “growth.”
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Photo: Indian Ministry of External Affairs via AP
“The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries,” he said.
Wang was scheduled to meet Modi later in the day, before the Indian leader travels to China this month for a regional summit — his first visit in seven years.
Wang said Beijing attaches “great importance” to Modi’s trip to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
Ties between the world’s two most-populous nations soured after a bloody border clash five years ago, but relations have been on the mend, with efforts gaining urgency amid Trump’s tariff policy.
Beijing has loosened curbs on urea exports, New Delhi has reinstated tourist visas for Chinese, while a growing number of Indian businesses have been seeking partnerships with Chinese companies for deals including technology transfers, Bloomberg News has reported.
Despite the thaw, Beijing’s close alliance with India’s rival Pakistan leaves New Delhi wary.
China announced that Wang would be heading to Pakistan today.
“Our policy is to develop friendly and cooperative relations with both India and Pakistan,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning (毛寧) said yesterday at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
China hopes the two nations can find a “proper solution” and is “willing to play a positive role,” she said.
India’s outreach to China underscores its tense relationship with the US under Trump.
New Delhi initially welcomed the Republican’s second stint in the White House, hopeful of striking a quick trade deal and building on years of closer ties with the US, its largest trading partner.
The two sides have been at odds after Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, a level that would decimate many Indian exporters.
Against that backdrop, Wang’s visit has taken on added significance.
During the trip, China has also assured India of supplies of fertilizer, rare earths and tunnel-boring machines, an official in New Delhi told reporters, asking not to be identified because the discussions were private.
“History and reality proves once again that a healthy and stable India-China relationship serves the fundamental long-term interest of both our countries,” Wang said.
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