Tianjin (China), August 31 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping that India is committed to advancing its relations with China based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity. The two leaders held comprehensive talks on recalibrating bilateral relations on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. Modi began his televised remarks by highlighting that the welfare of 2.8 billion people is linked to cooperation between India and China.
The meeting came against the backdrop of global trade turbulence caused by tariff policies under the administration of US President Donald Trump. Modi arrived in Tianjin on Saturday evening from Japan, marking his first visit to China since the eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. The last engagement between Modi and Xi was in October last year in Kazan, Russia, just days after both countries reached an agreement to end the Ladakh standoff.
As per agency report, Modi noted that the disengagement process completed last year has brought peace and stability along the border, with direct flights between the two countries now resuming. He also referred to the restart of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and recalled the understanding reached between special representatives on border management. Modi stressed India’s commitment to deepening cooperation with China through trust and sensitivity.
During the meeting, Modi congratulated Xi on China’s successful presidency of the SCO. However, details of the specific discussions between the two leaders have not yet been disclosed. Ahead of his Tianjin visit, Modi emphasized the importance of India and China working together to stabilize the global economic order.
In an interview with Japan’s daily newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun, published on Friday, Modi had said that stable and cordial India-China relations could have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. He further stated that given the prevailing uncertainties in the world economy, it is crucial for the two major economies to cooperate in restoring stability.
Modi’s visit to China comes less than two weeks after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to India, where he held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Following those discussions, both sides announced steps to build “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relations, which included maintaining peace along the disputed border, reopening cross-border trade, and resuming direct flight services at the earliest.
