Modi visits China after seven years

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in China after seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The two-day summit will begin in Tianjin on Sunday. Modi reached the Chinese city on Saturday, a day before the meeting.

According to Indian broadcaster NDTV, members of the Indian diaspora welcomed him upon arrival in Tianjin.

Modi's visit comes amid rising global trade tensions, with US President Donald Trump imposing a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods, while Washington and Beijing are locked in a trade dispute.

On Sunday, Modi is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks, reports Reuters.

Tensions between India and China had been high following a deadly border clash in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in 2020.

Both nations, however, have since worked on de-escalating the situation and resolving ongoing issues.

The primary objective of the Xi-Modi meeting is expected to be to maintain the momentum of improving Sino-Indian relations.

Before flying to China, Modi was on an official visit to Japan. In an interview there, he described India-China relations as extremely important, saying they could have a positive impact on regional peace and prosperity.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, I would be traveling to Tianjin from here to take part in the SCO Summit,” he added. “Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, steady and positive progress has been made in our bilateral ties.

“Stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. This is also crucial for a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world."

On the sidelines of the SCO summit, Modi is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Their discussions are likely to cover Trump’s tariffs, the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.