Is China Extending an Olive Branch? Xi Calls for ‘Dragon-Elephant Tango’ with India Amid Trump's Tariff Threats

At a time when anxiety around US tariffs looms, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the need for closer cooperation between China and India on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In his message to President Droupadi Murmu, Jinping called the relationship a “Dragon-Elephant tango," which signifies harmonious coexistence and shared progress.

Earlier in March, Beijing also called for a similar kind of relationship, terming it the as the "only right choice" between the two Asian nations.

China & India Mending Bonds?

US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs announcement has sent shockwaves to global markets, including its trade partners, which created an urgency among the vulnerable nations to explore ways to safeguard their ties with other economies.

Just ahead of Trump's April 2 deadline, Beijing’s Ambassador to India Xu Feihong expressed its interest in buying more Indian products to balance trade. The bilateral trade between India and China stood at $101.7bn in 2023-24, according to India’s trade ministry. India runs a significant deficit in trade with its neighbour.

"We are willing to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market,” Feihong told China’s state-run Global Times yesterday, as reported by Bloomberg.

Last month, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said that China and India are each other’s largest neighbours and they always believe that the two should be partners that contribute to their cumulative success.

Both the south Asian giants are expected to be under Trump's tariff threats. The US already levied 20% tariffs on China; in response, China imposed 15% tariffs.

Relations between India and China have soured since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. However, the recent developments might signal a de-escalation of their diplomatic standoffs.