President Xi says India, China ‘friends, partners’ amid Trump’s trade war 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said Beijing and New Delhi are “good neighbours, friends and partners” as the two Asian giants continue to improve ties in the wake of United States President Donald Trump’s tariff war, which has shaken global trade.

Xi wished Indian President Droupadi Murmu congratulations on the South Asian nation’s Republic Day on Monday, according to Chinese state media.

He said over the past year, China-India relations have continued to improve and develop and are of “great significance for maintaining and promoting world peace and prosperity”, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chinese president’s warm words come as Beijing and New Delhi have reset their ties following nearly four years of border tensions and economic curbs that followed the 2020 border clashes that killed at least 20 Indian soldiers. Four Chinese soldiers were also reportedly killed in the border conflict.

Following the 2020 border skirmish, India banned Chinese-owned social media giant TikTok and imposed curbs on Chinese investment in the world’s most populous nation. However, bilateral trade between the two neighbours continued, crossing an annual $130bn.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to China last August to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and said he was committed to improving bilateral ties, indicating a growing closeness to Beijing, days after the US imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods.

Trump unleashed his trade war after returning to power last year, affecting Indian and Chinese economic interests, along with many others. Indian exports to the US now face a tariff of 50 percent – among the highest in the world – while Chinese goods are subjected to more than 30 percent tariff.

The two Asian giants started to rebuild ties in October 2024, when Xi met Modi in Kazan, Russia, during a BRICS summit. India and China are the founding members of the BRICS grouping, which Trump has criticised. It was Modi and Xi’s first formal talks in five years.

In his message, President Xi referred to China and India as the “dragon and the elephant dancing together”, Xinhua reported. Xi said he hoped that both sides would expand exchanges and cooperation and address each other’s concerns to promote healthy and stable relations.

Though complex border issues remain to be addressed, the two countries have moved to boost ties.

Last October, India and China announced to resume direct flights after five years. India is also planning to ease curbs on Chinese investment in India, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.