NEW YORK, August 28. /TASS/. China and India began taking initial steps to restore their relationship in the spring, when US President Donald Trump initiated a trade conflict with Beijing and other countries by imposing tariffs on imported goods, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed Indian government official.
According to the source, Chinese President Xi Jinping allegedly sent a secret letter in March to Indian President Droupadi Murmu to test the waters regarding the possibility of improving bilateral relations. In the letter, the Chinese leader expressed concern that new US trade agreements with other countries could harm Beijing’s interests and reportedly identified a regional official who would be responsible for facilitating dialogue between the two nations.
By June, the Indian government had already begun taking more active steps to improve relations with China, the source said. The atmosphere in trade negotiations between Delhi and Washington had been increasingly tense, and Indian politicians and officials were reportedly displeased with Trump’s claim that he had succeeded in halting hostilities between India and Pakistan in early May.
The process of restoring relations accelerated in August amid a crisis in India-US relations caused by Trump’s imposition of 50% tariffs on Indian goods - a measure the US president justified by India’s purchase of Russian oil. Delhi and Beijing are now preparing to resume direct air travel, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China this week for the first time in seven years.
The agency noted that skepticism still persists in both countries, given ongoing disagreements. Delhi remains concerned about China’s close ties with Pakistan, while Beijing is unhappy with the activities of the Dalai Lama residing in India.