China’s President Xi Jinping extended his congratulations to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on India’s Republic Day, describing China and India as “good neighbours, friends and partners,” Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
Xi highlighted that bilateral relations between the two nations have steadily improved over the past year and stressed their importance in promoting global peace and prosperity. He reiterated that maintaining a cooperative and friendly relationship is the “right choice” for both countries, likening the two nations to “the dragon and the elephant dancing together.”
The Chinese president expressed hope that both sides would continue to expand exchanges, strengthen cooperation, and address mutual concerns to ensure stable and healthy relations.
China and India, both nuclear-armed, share a 3,800-kilometre border that has been disputed since the 1950s. Relations were severely strained after a 2020 border clash in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed, prompting heavy militarisation along the Himalayan frontier.
However, ties have shown signs of improvement over the past year, marked by high-level bilateral visits, the resumption of direct flights in 2025, and increased trade and investment, despite global geopolitical pressures, including the foreign policy stance of former US President Donald Trump.
