Modi’s visit, his first to China in seven years, comes as both countries face steep tariffs from Washington and amid growing urgency to diversify global partnerships. Last week, the US followed through with its threat to impose tariffs of 50% on Indian goods, punishment for New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil that Washington says helps fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held their first meeting since Donald Trump returned to power, with the longstanding Asian rivals pledging deeper cooperation as they deal with the economic fallout from the US trade war.
Modi announced the resumption of direct flights between the two countries, and said ties in the past year have stabilised after soldiers pulled back from the friction points on the border. The two met at the port city of Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, a security-focused bloc co-founded by China.
