‘Let the dragon-elephant duo become stronger’ – Jinping said after meeting Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a formal meeting in Tianjin after a gap of 7 years. The two leaders held fruitful talks for about 50 minutes, in which Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, border agreement, trade relations and strengthening of bilateral relations were discussed in detail.

President Xi expressed his pleasure in meeting Prime Minister Modi and said that this is the time when the “dragon and the elephant come together.” He noted that India and China are the oldest civilisations and the most populous nations in the world. Both countries, being prominent members of the Global South, bear a historic responsibility to ensure the welfare of their citizens and the advancement of human society.

Prime Minister Modi thanked China for the warm welcome. He noted the positive momentum in bilateral relations since the meeting in Kazan last year. The withdrawal of military forces from the border areas has created an atmosphere of peace and stability. An agreement has been reached between the special representatives on the border issue. Also, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed and direct air services between India and China are also being resumed.

Prime Minister Modi also stressed that the cooperation between the two countries is inextricably linked to the interests of 2.8 billion citizens. This cooperation will pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. He made it clear that India and China are committed to strengthening their relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.