India, China should be partners, not rivals: Xi to Modi

Tianjin: Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday that it is the “right choice” for China and India to maintain friendly ties, emphasising that the “elephant and dragon” should work together for mutual success.

The leaders met on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Xi said, “We share the historic responsibility of enhancing the welfare of our peoples, strengthening solidarity among developing nations, and advancing human progress.” He added that it is wise for the two countries to be good neighbours, supportive partners, and to have the dragon and elephant move in harmony together.

He stressed that China and India should view their relationship strategically and with a long-term perspective.

“Both sides need to manage our relationship from a strategic and long-term standpoint to ensure steady, sound, and sustainable development of bilateral ties,” Xi said.

According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi told Modi that the two nations are partners, not competitors, and should see each other as opportunities for development rather than threats.

In a subtle reference to US President Donald Trump’s unilateral approach, Xi emphasised the importance of upholding multilateralism. He said China and India should work toward a multipolar world and promote greater democracy in international affairs. “We must step up our historic responsibility to uphold multilateralism, promote a multipolar world, foster greater democracy in international relations, and contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and globally,” he added.

The meeting marked their first encounter in nearly ten months and gained importance amid a sudden cooling of India-US relations over Washington’s trade and tariff policies.

Xi also remarked that the world is experiencing once-in-a-century transformations. “The international situation is fluid and unpredictable. China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East, the world’s most populous countries, and the oldest members of the Global South,” he said.