Modi, Xi commit to fair, reasonable resolution of boundary issue; pledge to boost trade ties

PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet on sidelines of the SCO summit, first meeting in 10 months

- MPOST BUREAU

TIANJIN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday agreed to work towards a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the India-China border issue that has strained their ties after the Galwan valley clashes in Eastern Ladakh five years ago.

The two leaders also pledged to expand trade and investment ties, recognising the role of the two economies to stabilise global trade. PM Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed steady progress in their bilateral ties during their first meeting in 10 months, on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

In their wide-ranging talks, they largely focused on boosting trade and investment ties, a move that came against the backdrop of disruptions in global trade triggered by US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs including a whopping 50 per cent on Indian goods. The diplomatic upswing comes at a time when India's relations with the US have soured due to Trump's tariffs. New Delhi getting closer to Beijing raises an alarm for the US foreign policy, undoing decades of American efforts to pull apart the two massive economies.

In the meeting held on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, PM Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for the continued development of India-China ties and said that New Delhi is committed to advancing the relations based on "mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity".

They vowed to expand bilateral trade and investment ties, reduce trade deficit and agreed to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms, according to an Indian readout.