- China criticised the US decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, calling it unfair and urging India and China to strengthen economic cooperation to counter the challenge.
- Ambassador Xu Feihong highlighted consensus between Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi on boosting trade and development ties, stressing that the two economies are complementary.
- Xu said India and China share common ground in counter-terrorism efforts and called for deeper cooperation.
China has strongly opposed the United States’ decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, describing the move as unfair and unreasonable. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said India and China should step up economic cooperation to jointly counter the challenge.
Speaking at an event marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan, Xu criticised Washington’s tariff policy, saying the US was using tariffs as a “weapon” to extract exorbitant costs from other countries. He argued that international trade should foster complementary growth and win-win outcomes, adding that India and China, as two major emerging economies, must work together to navigate the situation.
The envoy recalled the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO summit, where both leaders underscored the importance of deepening economic engagement. Xu said the two countries, with their vast populations, markets and complementary economies, were well-placed to promote mutual growth and strengthen cooperation in trade and investment.
On boundary issues, Xu noted that India and China had reached important consensus and stressed that their relationship was not influenced by any third party, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
He also said that both countries were victims of terrorism and highlighted their ongoing coordination through platforms such as the SCO and BRICS. China, he added, was prepared to work with India and the wider international community to combat terrorism and safeguard peace and stability.
Xu further urged India to provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, while welcoming more Indian companies to invest in China. He pointed to growing people-to-people exchanges, noting that Chinese diplomatic missions in India had already issued more than 240,000 visas to Indian citizens this year.
