Chinese Envoy Backs India, Calls US a “Bully” Over Tariffs; Urges Closer Sino-Indian Cooperation
Chinese Envoy to India Xu Feihong on Thursday accused the United States of behaving like a “bully” in global trade, saying Washington has long enjoyed the benefits of free trade but is now using tariffs as bargaining chips.
Speaking at an event organised by the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) in New Delhi, Xu stressed that China will firmly stand with India to safeguard multilateralism and oppose unilateral tariff impositions.
“US has long benefited from free trade but now uses tariffs as bargaining chips to demand exorbitant prices from various countries. The US imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India, and has even threatened more. China firmly opposes it. In the face of such acts, silence only emboldens the bully,” Xu said.
He underlined that both India and China are “double engines of economic growth” in Asia and that their friendship benefits the region as well as the world. “China and India’s unity benefits the world at large. The two countries should cooperate to maintain global stability,” the envoy added.
Xu also argued that New Delhi and Beijing, as major developing powers, bear the responsibility of promoting a multipolar world order that is equal and orderly.
On trade ties, the envoy extended an open invitation for Indian goods to enter the Chinese market, highlighting complementarities between the two economies. “India has a competitive edge in IT, software, and biomedicine, while China is expanding in electronics, infrastructure, and new energy. If connected, the two major markets will produce an effect of one plus one being greater than two,” Xu remarked.
He further urged both sides to enhance strategic mutual trust, avoid suspicion, and manage differences through dialogue, emphasising that India and China are partners, not rivals.
The remarks come against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Delhi, with Modi also expected to travel to China later this year to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ summit.
