Underlining that bilateral trade reached $88 billion in the first seven months of this year with a year-on-year 10.5% increase, Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong said on Monday that Beijing welcomed more Indian companies and hoped for a “non-discriminatory business environment” for Chinese enterprises in India.
Speaking at a seminar on the 80th anniversary of the “Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War” in Delhi, Xu said, “China stands ready to strengthen the synergy of development strategies and share experience in modernisation with India. We welcome more Indian companies to promote their products and invest in China, and we also hope that India could provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.” “History cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped,” he said.
This has been one of China’s main concerns and demands with New Delhi, as the border standoff since 2020 froze out Chinese companies and mobile apps in India. This was discussed during the meeting between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin last week.
Underlining the Modi-Xi Tianjin meeting to explore the “right way” for neighbouring countries to coexist based on “mutual respect and trust”, the Chinese ambassador said they should advocate an “equal and orderly multipolar world” and “firmly oppose any form of tariff and trade wars”.
This comes at a time when the US has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India. “…We jointly initiated the five principles of peaceful coexistence, and now share a common vision for national rejuvenation. It should be the right choice for China and India to be good-neighbourly friends and partners that help each other succeed, and have the dragon and the elephant dance together,” Xu said.
Stating that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Xu mentioned the two meetings between Modi and Xi over the past year and that “the two sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by the two leaders.”
Strenghtening ties, but with caution
India and China are keen to mend ties after a five and half years of border standoff. The Chinese envoy’s comments are being interpreted as an indication of the need for strengthening relations between the two countries on the economic front. Delhi is also considering the possibility of repairing relations with Beijing, but in a cautious manner.
He also spoke on the progress on the boundary dispute through interactions between ministers and secretaries. “We should uphold harmonious coexistence, further enhance bilateral relations through the Tianjin meeting, and explore the right way for neighbouring major countries to coexist based on mutual respect and trust…,” he said.
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Since the beginning of this year, Chinese diplomatic missions in India have issued over 2,40,000 visas to Indian citizens. Recently, China resumed Indian pilgrimages to Kailash Mansarova, and India resumed tourist visa issuance to Chinese citizens.
