China Calls For Peaceful Coexistence After Modi-Xi Talks: 'Border Must Not Dominate Ties'

Last Updated:August 31, 2025, 15:09 IST

Beijing underlined that the two countries must work together to maintain peace in the border areas and not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship

PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping (File Image: X/@narendramodi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Sunday, with leaders noting that the border issue should not overshadow the broader India-China ties.

In a statement read out by Chinese officials, Beijing underlined that the two countries “must work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship."

Xi described China and India as “good-neighbourly friends and partners of mutual success," adding that the “dragon and elephant dance should be the right choice for both countries."

PM Modi, who hailed what he called the “peaceful atmosphere" along the border area, noted that stability on the border is “essential for the continued development of bilateral relations."

“Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," said PM Modi in an X post.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction over last year’s disengagement and the relative calm since then, while reaffirming their commitment to a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution" of the boundary issue.

Five Principles Of Peaceful Coexistence

The talks in Tianjin carry added significance as this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China.

China referenced the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, jointly championed by the two nations’ leaders more than seven decades ago, calling for their revival in today’s context.

The principles — mutual respect for territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence — were described as a foundation for a forward-looking relationship.

‘Positive Momentum’

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in its own readout, said both leaders welcomed the “positive momentum and steady progress" since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024.

They agreed that India and China are “development partners and not rivals" and stressed that differences “should not turn into disputes."

The MEA noted that Modi and Xi highlighted the importance of people-to-people exchanges, including direct flights, visa facilitation, and religious tourism such as the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

On trade, they acknowledged the need to expand investment ties and narrow the deficit, while recognising the stabilising role their economies play in global commerce.

“The growth and development of 2.8 billion people depend on a stable India-China relationship built on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," the MEA statement added.

The two leaders agreed to pursue cooperation with a long-term vision, signalling a thaw in ties strained since the 2020 Galwan clashes.

The Tianjin meeting also comes at a time when both countries are positioning themselves closer together amid tariff disputes with the United States.

This marks PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years.

His presence at the SCO summit — which also brings together Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders — underscores New Delhi’s intent to balance global alignments while keeping dialogue with Beijing open.

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