China calls for stronger India ties amid trade war fears

Facing a fresh trade war under the new Trump administration, China sought to further stabilise ties with India, with its foreign minister Wang Yi on Friday stating that Beijing's relations with New Delhi had made positive strides in the past year. He also said that President Xi Jinping's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan last year gave strategic guidance for the improvement and development of bilateral ties.

Wang emphasised that it is in the best interest of both nations to work together. "Both sides have earnestly followed through on the important common understandings of our leaders, strengthened exchanges and practical cooperation at all levels, and achieved a series of positive outcomes. China and India are each other's largest neighbours. China always believes that the two should be partners that contribute to each other's success. A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides," said Wang, also a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Politburo.

"As important members of the Global South, we have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics. We must not only safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our countries but also uphold the basic norms governing international relations. When China and India join hands, the prospects for greater democracy in international relations and a stronger Global South will improve greatly," said Wang.


He said as the two largest developing countries, China and India have a shared task to accelerate their countries' development and revitalisation. "There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undercut each other, work with each other rather than guard against each other. This is the path that truly serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples."

Wang pointed out that India and China are two ancient civilisations, and the two countries have enough wisdom and capability to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas 'pending a fair and reasonable solution'.

Never Allow Ties to be Defined by Boundary Question: Wang
"We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question or let specific differences affect the overall picture of our bilateral ties," he said. Wang said 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and India. "China stands ready to work with India to sum up past experience, forge a path forward, and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development," he said.