The leaders meet for an hour in Tianjin on the Indian prime minister’s first trip to China in seven years
The world’s two most populous countries need to be friends, Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
“China and India are two of the most ‘civilisational’ countries. We are the world’s two most populous countries and part of the Global South … It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and [for] the ‘dragon’ and the ‘elephant’ to come together,” Xi said in opening remarks.
In opening remarks posted on social media, Modi, who is on his first trip to China in seven years, said both countries had been moving in a positive direction since last year.
“We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity,” he said.
