TIANJIN, Aug 30: After a gap of more than seven years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China on Saturday for a closely watched visit that carries added weight amid the recent strain in India-US relations sparked by Washington’s tariff policies.
Modi is in China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on August 31 and September 1. However, his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday has drawn particular attention, given its potential impact on regional stability and global economic trends.
During their talks, Modi and Xi are expected to review the state of India-China economic ties and explore measures to further normalise relations strained by the prolonged border row in eastern Ladakh.
The prime minister flew into Tianjin from Japan, completing the second leg of his two-nation tour. On the sidelines of the SCO summit, he is also slated to hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other world leaders.
Ahead of his visit, Modi underscored the importance of India and China working together to stabilise the global economic order. In an interview with Japan’s The Yomiuri Shimbun, published on Friday, he said:
“Given the current volatility in the world economy, it is important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability. A stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relationship can positively influence regional and global peace and prosperity.”
Modi’s China trip comes less than two weeks after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to India. Following his wide-ranging discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, both sides announced a set of confidence-building measures aimed at forging a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship.
These steps include joint efforts to maintain peace along the disputed frontier, reopening of border trade, and the resumption of direct flight services at the earliest.
In recent months, both nations have undertaken initiatives to reset ties that were severely tested after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. The disengagement process in eastern Ladakh concluded in October last year, with troops pulling back from the last two friction points at Demchok and Depsang.
Prime Minister Modi last visited China in June 2018 for the SCO summit, while President Xi travelled to India in October 2019 for the second “informal summit.” This weekend’s meeting in Tianjin is seen as a key opportunity for both leaders to chart a more constructive course for bilateral ties.
