Tianjin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in seven years has been hailed as a “milestone” moment in the history of India-China relations. Senior Chinese journalist Shen Shiwei described the trip as a “reset” for bilateral ties, following PM Modi’s meeting with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin.
Speaking to NDTV, Shiwei said the visit has paved a “strong path” for improved communication across ministries and will benefit the two nations “politically, economically, and culturally.” He emphasized that the engagement would boost people-to-people exchanges and create opportunities for renewed cooperation.
This marks Modi’s first visit since June 2018 and comes against the backdrop of strained India-US ties after Washington slapped a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including duties related to Russian crude purchases. Commenting on the development, Shiwei said the tariff escalation was “a huge shock” and even perceived by some as “a kind of betrayal,” given India’s traditional closeness to Washington.
During their nearly hour-long meeting, Modi and Xi vowed to strengthen ties. PM Modi thanked Xi for the “warm welcome” and stressed the need to build on the positive momentum from their previous meeting in Kazan during the BRICS summit in 2024. He highlighted progress on resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and restoring direct flight connectivity.
“The cooperation between us affects 2.8 billion people. Our relationship, built on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity, is linked to the welfare of all humanity,” Modi said.
Xi Jinping echoed the sentiment, stressing that India and China, as the two most populous nations and key voices of the Global South, must act as “friends and good neighbours.” He described the partnership as “the dragon and the elephant coming together,” symbolizing a powerful alignment for global peace and development.
Calling for a long-term vision, Xi urged both nations to shoulder their “historic responsibilities” by defending multilateralism, advancing a multipolar world order, and contributing to stability in Asia and beyond.
The Modi-Xi meeting is being widely seen as a diplomatic reset after years of frosty ties over border tensions in eastern Ladakh. Observers believe the talks could mark the beginning of a cautious but significant thaw in relations between Asia’s two largest economies.