China’s Xi says SCO bears ‘greater responsibilities’ for keeping regional peace
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India committed to improving ties with China, Modi tells Xi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with China in a key meeting with President Xi Jinping on Sunday. Both leaders discussed the need to expand trade and investment ties against the backdrop of U.S. tariffs. Modi said an atmosphere of “peace and stability” has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020. The neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400 miles) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s. Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in a show of Global South solidarity. The meeting comes days after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, a move analysts say has pushed Modi and Xi to align against Western pressures.
Item 1 of 3 India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India’s Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
Summary Xi, Modi discuss expanding trade and investment
Modi says atmosphere of ‘peace and stability’ created on disputed Himalayan border
Meeting between Asian rivals comes five days after punishing US tariffs on India take effect
Xi, Modi seek to present united front against Western pressure
TIANJIN, China, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with China in a key meeting with President Xi Jinping on Sunday, as both leaders discussed the need to expand trade and investment ties against the backdrop of U.S. tariffs.
Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in a show of Global South solidarity.
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The meeting comes days after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, a move analysts say has pushed Modi and Xi to align against Western pressures.
Modi said India and China pursued strategic autonomy, and their ties should not be seen through the lens of a third country, according to an Indian foreign ministry readout of the meeting.
Modi emphasised reducing India’s trade deficit with China and expanding cooperation on regional and global issues, including terrorism and fair trade practices, the ministry added.
The leaders also discussed expanding common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues, and challenges like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms, the Indian statement said.
“We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities,” Modi told Xi during the meeting on the sidelines of the summit, according to a video posted on his official X account.
At a reception for the summit Xi told leaders that the SCO now bears “greater responsibilities” for safeguarding regional peace and stability, and for boosting development of various countries, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.
BORDER ISSUE
Modi said an atmosphere of “peace and stability” has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
He added that an agreement had been reached between both nations regarding border management, without giving details. The neighbours share a 3,800 km (2,400 miles) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s.
“We must … not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship,” Xinhua reported Xi as saying.
China-India ties could be “stable and far-reaching” if both sides focused on viewing each other as partners instead of rivals, Xi added.
Both leaders had a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year after reaching a border patrol agreement, setting off a tentative thaw in ties that has accelerated in recent weeks as New Delhi seeks to hedge against renewed tariff threats from Washington.
Direct flights between both nations, which have been suspended since 2020, are being resumed, Modi added, without providing a timeframe.
China had agreed to lift export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month during a key visit to India by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
China opposes Washington’s steep tariffs on India and will “firmly stand with India,” Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said this month.
For decades, Washington painstakingly cultivated ties with New Delhi in the hope that it would act as a regional counterweight to Beijing.
In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Hindu and Buddhist sites in Tibet, and both countries have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.
“Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship,” said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru.
However, other long-term irritants remain in the relationship.
China is India’s largest bilateral trade partner, but the long-running trade deficit – a persistent source of frustration for Indian officials – reached a record $99.2 billion this year.
Meanwhile, a planned Chinese mega-dam in Tibet has sparked fears of mass water diversion that could reduce water flows on the major Brahmaputra River by up to 85% in the dry season, according to Indian government estimates.
India also hosts the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader whom Beijing views as a dangerous separatist influence. India’s arch-rival Pakistan also benefits from staunch Chinese economic, diplomatic and military support.
Reporting by Laurie Chen in Tianjin, Shivam Patel in New Delhi, and Liz Lee and Shi Bu in Shanghai; Editing by Michael Perry, Jamie Freed and Louise Heavens
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China’s Xi says SCO bears ‘greater responsibility’ for keeping peace
Summit in China shoulders mission of building consensus among parties and stimulating momentum in cooperation, Xi says. This year’s summit is the first since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term starting in January 2025. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his first visit to China since 2018 after years of difficult relations in the wake of Indian and Chinese troops clashing in 2020 at a disputed Himalayan border. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2023 over the war in Ukraine, is due to meet with both leaders in the coming days. Xi said he hoped the Tianjin meeting will “further elevate” and “promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security forum now bears “greater responsibility” for safeguarding regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping has told about 20 world leaders he hosted for a summit in northern China’s Tianjin.
Xi also underscored the SCO’s mission for the development and prosperity of its member states as he hosted and addressed the high-profile gathering at a banquet on Sunday evening.
The ongoing SCO summit shoulders the important mission of building consensus among all parties and stimulating momentum in cooperation, Xi was cited as telling the assembled leaders, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
Among the most notable guests at the two-day summit is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first visit to China since 2018 after years of difficult relations in the wake of Indian and Chinese troops clashing in 2020 at a disputed Himalayan border.
Also attending is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2023 over the war in Ukraine.
China is not a member state of the ICC and is not a party to the Rome Statute that founded it, so the court has no authority in the country.
China and Russia have sometimes touted the SCO as an alternative to the NATO military alliance. This year’s summit is the first since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term starting in January 2025, and the gathering is a powerful show of Global South solidarity amid wars, conflicts and Trump’s tariffs upending the world’s economies.
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‘A meaningful direction’
Earlier on Sunday, Xi and Modi pledged to resolve their border differences and bolster cooperation.
Modi said in his opening remarks that ties with China have moved in “a meaningful direction”, adding that “there is a peaceful environment at the borders after disengagement”.
He also noted “the importance of peace and tranquillity on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations,” according to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity,” Modi told Xi.
The two most populous nations are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia. A thaw began last October, when Modi met with Xi for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia.
Xi said regarding ties with India that he hoped the Tianjin meeting will “further elevate” and “promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations”, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The two sides should “not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship”, Xi said, adding that economic development should be their focus.
“As long as they remain committed to the overarching goal of being partners, not rivals, and providing development opportunities, not threats, China-India relations will flourish and move forward steadily,” Xi said.
Earlier in August, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi flew to New Delhi, as the two sides announced their rapprochement.
Both governments pledged to restart border talks and resume issuing visas and direct flights.
Putin, who arrived in Tianjin on Sunday, is due to meet with both leaders in the coming days.
Full text of President Xi’s speech at the welcoming banquet of SCO Summit 2025
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday delivered a speech at a banquet to welcome international guests who are in China’s port city of Tianjin to attend the SCO Summit 2025 from Sunday to Monday. The following is the full text of the speech:Toast by H.E. Xi Jinping: The SCO has grown into a significant force in promoting a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for humanity. Tomorrow, I will join our colleagues at the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States. We will also convene the “SCO Plus” Meeting with leaders of non-SCO members and international organizations. Let us uphold the Shanghai Spirit and set out from Tianjin on a new voyage filled with hope toward an even brighter future.
The following is the full text of the speech:
Toast by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
At the Welcoming Banquet of the SCO Summit
Tianjin, August 31, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Good evening. Tonight, we are gathered here by the glittering banks of the Haihe River in Tianjin, a city defined by its embrace of waters from all corners. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I welcome all our distinguished guests to Tianjin.
Today is a joyful day for leaders of SCO member states to have this happy gathering with old and new friends. It is also the Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan and the National Day of Malaysia. I wish to take this opportunity to offer our heartfelt congratulations to President Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and the friendly peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Malaysia.
Tianjin is an open and inclusive metropolis. It has served as a strategic guardian city for our nation’s capital throughout history, and pioneered China’s reform and opening up as a pilot zone. In recent years, Tianjin has implemented the national strategy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, and written its new and dynamic chapter in advancing Chinese modernization. We believe that as the host of this Summit, Tianjin will give fresh impetus to the sustainable development of our Organization.
Since its founding, the SCO has stayed committed to the Shanghai Spirit, strengthening solidarity and mutual trust, deepening practical cooperation, and taking an active part in international and regional affairs. The SCO has grown into a significant force in promoting a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for humanity.
At present, the century-defining transformation is accelerating across the world, with a marked increase in factors of instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability. The SCO thus bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity of all countries.
At this Summit, we are tasked with an important mission: to build consensus among all parties, ignite momentum for cooperation, and draw up a blueprint for development. Tomorrow, I will join our colleagues at the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States. We will also convene the “SCO Plus” Meeting with leaders of non-SCO members and international organizations. We will focus on how to strengthen cooperation, promote development, and improve global governance.
I am confident that with the collective efforts of all parties, this Summit will be a complete success and the SCO will play an even greater role, achieve greater development, and make greater contribution to strengthening solidarity and cooperation among the member states, pooling the strength of the Global South, and promoting the cause of human advancement.
As a Chinese saying goes, “In a race of a hundred boats, those who row the hardest will lead.” Let us uphold the Shanghai Spirit and set out from Tianjin on a new voyage filled with hope toward an even brighter future.
Now, please join me in a toast:
To a productive and fruitful Summit;
To the advancement of the SCO’s goals and tasks;
To the development and prosperity of all countries and the well-being of our people; and
To the health of all distinguished guests and your families.
Cheers!
Belarus Xi, Putin and Co. show unity against the West at summit
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) called for unity in the face of conflicts and trade disputes. The organization is largely dominated by leaders of authoritarian systems, criticized internationally for human rights violations. The summit is intended to demonstrate strength and unity to Western alliances. The bloc wants to show itself to be open and inclusive in front of the SCO members, such as Turkey, Belarus and Turkey. China hopes that the meeting can create a “favorable environment for peace” through the summit, Beijing said ahead of the meeting. The SCO was founded 24 years ago as an organization for the fight against terrorism and economic cooperation. It now has ten member states, including founding countries such as Russia, China and Pakistan as well as India, Iran, Belarus since 2024 and Kazakhstan since 2023. The meeting in Tianjin, China, took place on September 2-3, and was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years.
At the summit of the Russia-friendly Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China called for unity in the face of conflicts and trade disputes. The world is experiencing changes not seen for a century, with significantly increasing instability and uncertainty, said state and party leader Xi Jinping at the evening gala dinner in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin.
Keystone-SDA SDA
The SCO bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the region, he emphasized in front of numerous heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who greeted Xi warmly with a handshake. On his arrival at the banquet, Xi chatted with his “old friend” Putin, as he often calls him. The Russian stood next to Xi in the family photo. The organization is largely dominated by leaders of authoritarian systems, which are also criticized internationally for human rights violations.
Meeting of “old friends”
Once again, the summit offered Putin, who is isolated in part of the West due to his war of aggression against Ukraine, a platform to showcase his good relations with China and other countries in Asia. As in China, however, US President Donald Trump recently rolled out the red carpet for Putin at a summit in Alaska. However, Putin’s four-day visit to China is not about the West anyway, but about building a multipolar world order, as he explained in an interview with the Chinese state agency Xinhua.
Putin will stay in China for several days to attend a military parade in the nearby Chinese capital Beijing on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan in the Second World War, together with North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un, among others.
China is regarded as Russia’s most important backer in the war against Ukraine, as Beijing has not yet condemned Moscow’s actions and has supported Russian demands in its own proposals for a solution to the conflict. In addition, according to accusations from Western countries, China supplies Russia with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, thereby supporting the Russian arms industry.
Thaw after diplomatic ice age
The talks between Xi and Modi also came under scrutiny. As a sign of improving relations, Xi called for closer cooperation with India. China and India are partners, not rivals, Xi told Modi. Both countries represented development opportunities for each other and not threats. Modi praised the “fruitful” meeting with Xi.
After years of diplomatic ice age, the two most populous countries in the world are getting closer again. The reason for the bad mood is a decades-long dispute over a region in the Himalayas, which Beijing believes is in the south of Tibet and New Delhi believes is in the north of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
In 2020, soldiers from both sides clashed there – 20 Indians and 4 Chinese died. As a result, relations between the two nuclear powers deteriorated. “We agreed that it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” Modi wrote on the online platform X after the meeting in Tianjin.
Danger for US relations with India?
It was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. He had previously agreed with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba in Japan to double private investment over the next ten years. Modi is likely to have traveled to China with plenty of resentment over the trade dispute with the USA. A few days ago, US President Trump doubled the tariff on imports from India to 50 percent due to its oil deals with Russia.
Some observers see Modi’s visit to China as a signal of rapprochement. However, many consider it unlikely that New Delhi will turn away from Washington due to the importance of the USA for India, including in geopolitical matters.
What China intends to do with the SCO
The SCO was founded 24 years ago as an organization for the fight against terrorism and economic cooperation. It now has ten member states, including founding countries such as Russia, China and Kazakhstan as well as India, Pakistan, Iran since 2023 and Belarus since 2024. The organization is thus a kind of counterweight to Western alliances. The summit in Tianjin is intended to demonstrate strength and unity.
After all, many SCO states currently have in common that they are at odds with the USA and President Trump over tariffs and trade. The bloc wants to show itself to be open and inclusive in front of the SCO dialog partners also present, such as Turkey with President Erdoğan. China hopes that the countries can create a “favorable environment for lasting peace” through the summit, Beijing said ahead of the meeting.
An alliance on shaky ground
China is demonstrating its role in international relations with the summit, says Claus Soong from the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Research (Merics). However, it also shows that it has friends despite the intensifying competition between China and the USA and the increasing alienation.
In Soong’s view, the SCO does not have a solid basis for cohesion among its member states. The reason for this is different geopolitical interests, explains Soong. In the past, cracks have repeatedly appeared in the group’s unity due to disputes between individual members. According to some analysts, Beijing therefore wants to prove that it is also capable of bringing rivals to the table.
‘SCO bears greater responsibilities for keeping peace’
‘SCO bears greater responsibilities for keeping peace’ says President Xi Jinping. Xi made the remarks at a banquet to welcome international guests. He expressed confidence that with the concerted efforts of all parties, the summit will be a complete success.
President Xi Jining says he’s confident that the summit will be a complete success. Photo: Reuters
President Xi Jinping on Sunday said the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is shouldering greater responsibilities for safeguarding regional peace and stability, and for boosting development of various countries in a world of increasing uncertainties and accelerated changes.
Xi made the remarks at a banquet to welcome international guests who are in China’s port city of Tianjin to attend the SCO Summit 2025 from Sunday to Monday.
He expressed confidence that with the concerted efforts of all parties, the summit will be a complete success.
He also believes that the SCO will play an even bigger role and achieve more progress, making greater contribution to boosting the unity and cooperation among member states, pooling the strength of the Global South and pushing for more progress of human civilisation. (Xinhua)