Xi says India, China are ‘friends, partners’ in Republic Day greeting
Xi said Sino-Indian relations continued to improve and develop last year and were “of great importance for maintaining and promoting world peace and prosperity,” according to Xinhua.
Xi said China has always believed that being “good neighbours, friends and partners” is the right choice for both China and India.
Xinhua said he referred to China and India as “dragons” and elephants dancing together.
Xi said he hopes both sides will expand exchanges and cooperation and address each other’s concerns to develop healthy and stable relations.
The nuclear-armed Asian neighbors share a 3,800 km (2,400 mi) border that is poorly demarcated and disputed since the 1950s.
Ties between the countries were rocked by the conflict in 2020, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat. Following this, the Himalayan border was heavily militarized by both sides. Both countries began improving relations after a series of high-level bilateral visits last year.
Direct flights resumed in 2025 as both countries stepped up trade and investment flows in the face of US President Donald Trump’s combative foreign policy.
