Beijing sides with New Delhi in trade dispute with Washington
Photo: China sided with India in the trade war with the USA (Getty Images)
Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi Xu Feihong declared that Beijing "will firmly stand with India" against US tariffs. This is a signal of a new rapprochement between two rivals, who only yesterday argued over the border, according to Bloomberg.
China announced its readiness to take India’s side in the conflict with the administration of Donald Trump regarding duties on Indian exports. This is yet another sign that Beijing and New Delhi are seeking common ground, despite long-standing territorial disputes.
"The United States has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India and it has even threatened for more. China firmly opposes this," stressed the Ambassador of the PRC.
According to him, Beijing "will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core."
Border negotiations
The statement sounded against the background of the visit of China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India – the first trip in the last three years. During the negotiations the sides agreed to intensify work on the demarcation of the disputed border, which for years remained a source of tension.
Expected meeting of Modi and Xi Jinping
It is expected that already this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with the leader of the PRC, Xi Jinping, in Chinese Tianjin during the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This will be Modi’s first visit to China in seven years.
Criticism of Washington
Xu Feihong sharply criticized Washington, accusing it of using duties "as an instrument of blackmail to extract favorable conditions."
"In the face of such acts, silence or compromise only emboldens the bully," stated the diplomat.
He emphasized that the countries of the Global South are attentively following the steps of China and India, because from their partnership depends whether developing states will be able to overcome current economic difficulties.
The role of China in negotiations on Ukraine
On August 6, US President Donald Trump announced a new package of economic pressure on India – additional 25% duties. The reason became Delhi’s active trade contacts with Moscow, despite the war in Ukraine.
The American President explained his decision by the fact that India continues to buy Russian oil, "not paying attention to the fact that Ukrainians are dying from the Russian military machine."
It is worth reminding that this is already the second blow to the Indian economy in recent times: the first 25% duties Washington imposed already on August 1. Thus, the new tariffs became a surcharge to already existing restrictions.
At the same time, the decree itself provides flexibility – Trump retained the right to revise conditions if the recipient country takes steps in response or demonstrates readiness to cooperate with the USA in the spheres of security and foreign policy.
Against the background of such decisions, a noticeable rapprochement of India with China has been activated.
Recall, that it is China that Moscow would like to see among the security guarantors for Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, literally the day before, explained why China cannot be included in this list.
