China's top diplomat hails 'positive trend' in relations with India

Relations between China and India are on a "positive trend" towards cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Indian counterpart in New Delhi, according to a readout of the meeting published Tuesday.

The world's two most populous nations are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia, and fought a deadly border clash in 2020.

India is also part of the Quad security alliance with the United States, Australia and Japan, which is seen as a counter to China. But caught in global trade and geopolitical turbulence triggered by US President Donald Trump's tariff war, the countries have moved to mend ties.

During talks on Monday with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's foreign minister, Wang said the two countries should "view each other as partners and opportunities, rather than adversaries or threats".

He pointed to the resumption of "dialogue at all levels" and "maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas" as evidence bilateral ties were on a "positive trend of returning to the main path of cooperation".

Wang is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his three-day visit.

According to Indian media, Modi might visit China this month, which would be his first trip since 2018.

Relations have improved since October, when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time in five years in Russia.

Chinese and Indian officials have said in recent weeks that the two countries were discussing the resumption of border trade, which has been halted since 2020.

Its resumption would be symbolically significant, and follows discussions to resume direct flights and issue tourist visas.

According to Hindustan Times, Wang Yi assured Jaishankar that his country will resume the much-needed supply of fertilizers, rare earth minerals and tunnel boring machines (TBM) as the two countries moved towards normalisation of ties.

It is understood that Jaishankar raised the issue of supplies of urea, NPK and DAP, rare earth minerals, and TBM with Minister Wang Yi during his visit to China last month. However, the topic of boundary talks and border issues was not taken up by Jaishankar as it will be taken up by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during Special Representative Dialogue today. Minister Wang meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening.

Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart that there was no change in Indian position on Taiwan and just like the world India also maintained diplomatic presence for economic and cultural ties.

Fact remains is that China agreeing to deliver on fertilizers, TBM and rare earths is a big development as Beijing had put a brake on Indian imports for nearly an year. China supplies nearly 30 percent of fertilizers to India for agriculture, rare earths for auto parts and tunnel boring machine for road and urban infrastructure development.

While border talks did not figure in Jaishankar-Wang meeting, the sensitive topic will be raised and discussed substantially by NSA Ajit Doval in the talks with the main focus on de-escalation of forces on the 3488km Line of Actual Control (LAC). Even though the boundary friction and patrolling issues have been sorted out in Ladakh, both Indian and Chinese armies are still amassed on the border and hence there is a need for sending the troops back to barracks.