New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on Tuesday highlighted improving ties between New Delhi and Beijing, saying bilateral trade reached a record USD 155.6 billion in 2025 as relations moved to a “new level of improvement.”
Speaking at a Chinese New Year reception in the national capital to mark the onset of the Year of the Horse, Ambassador Xu said the relationship had progressed from a phase of “reset” following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin last August.
Highlighting robust economic engagement, Xu said bilateral trade grew by more than 12 percent year-on-year. He noted that India’s exports to China increased by 9.7 percent, underlining the significant potential for deeper economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
The ambassador also shared updates on China’s domestic economy, stating that the country’s gross domestic product has crossed 140 trillion yuan, or approximately USD 20 trillion, with annual growth of around 5 percent. He added that China contributes more than 30 percent to global economic growth.
Xu emphasized the restoration of normalcy in people-to-people exchanges, noting that China has resumed pilgrimage visits for Indian devotees to the sacred mountain and holy lake in the Xizang Autonomous Region, with nearly 20,000 Indians participating last year. He also said India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens and that direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India have been restored.
Drawing parallels between the two ancient civilizations, the ambassador said China’s vision of “a world of great harmony” resonates with India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning the world is one family. He also compared China’s emphasis on self-reliance with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, suggesting that both countries share common intellectual traditions and value systems.
Reflecting on his visits to the Ajanta and Ellora Caves and to Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan, Xu said the experiences helped him appreciate the enduring cultural ties and spiritual connections between the two nations.
Looking ahead, the ambassador expressed China’s support for India’s role as the rotating chair of BRICS and said Beijing is ready to strengthen coordination with New Delhi to advance the interests of the Global South and practice what he described as “true multilateralism.”
“We stand ready to work with India to draw wisdom from our traditional cultures and uphold the consensus that China and India are each other’s cooperation partners and development opportunities,” Xu said.
The event, held on the eve of Lichun, marking the beginning of spring, was attended by diplomats, members of the Chinese diaspora, and representatives from various sectors, reflecting optimism for the 2026 lunar year.
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