China and India: Meeting halfway for shared interests
People hold national flags and banners to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in New Delhi, India, to attend the 18th BRICS Summit at the invitation of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, September 12, 2026. /Xinhua
Editor's note: Gao Tongtong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a researcher at Institute for Communication and Borderland Governance of Jinan University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.
During the 18th BRICS Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Three years, three leadership meetings, and China-India relations through the lens of their shared past reflect a shared desire to meet each other halfway. Amid a complex, diverse, and turbulent global landscape, closer cooperation between the two countries is of real practical significance.
The shared pursuit of development holds the key to understanding China-India relations. As ancient civilizations, populous nations and important members of the Global South, China and India both stand at a critical stage of modernization.
For both countries, one common but urgent task is to ensure their vast populations can benefit from rapid development and that their potential can be tapped to improve lives. Meeting this task will, without any doubt, broaden and deepen their common interests.
Modernization, in turn, requires not only a peaceful and stable neighborhood but also an open and inclusive approach to cooperation. Hence, keeping development as the greatest common ground and staying devoted to economic prosperity best serves the interests of both nations. This is a pragmatic move for both China and India, and a powerful driver for bilateral relations to overcome difficulties.
Broader cooperation will underpin closer China-India relations. With vast markets, a rich talent pool, and distinctive industrial strengths, China and India are seeing their economic and social development drive a greater need for cooperation.
From closer economic and trade ties to stronger cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the scope of cooperation between the two nations is broadening as they pursue modernization. To turn that scope into reality, the two countries should act on common interests, translate the vision of cooperation into concrete action, and, through positive interaction, advance the building of a China-India community with a shared future.
Openness creates opportunities, and pragmatic measures unlock potential, enabling China and India to achieve shared prosperity. The record bears this out: The deeper China-India cooperation grows, the stronger the bonds of common interests become, and the greater the momentum for bilateral relations to move forward.
Mutual benefit and win-win outcomes cement China-India relations. The value of cooperation is not found in words on paper, but in the everyday lives of ordinary people; whether cooperation can be sustained and deepened hinges on whether it improves the well-being and livelihoods of the two peoples.
Only when businesses gain opportunities and ordinary people see tangible benefits can the forces supporting China-India friendship keep growing. Haier, for example, has built two industrial parks in India, not only creating many local jobs but also spurring development in surrounding areas.
According to India's Press Information Bureau, India's seafood exports to China were valued at $1.61 billion in fiscal year 2025-2026, providing Chinese consumers with more choices. From factory floors to family dining tables, China and India are finding more common interests, giving more people a stake in cooperation and a deeper understanding of each other's development.
Mutual respect and mutual understanding are key to handling China-India relations. Differences between China and India exist, and some issues require patience to address. It is even more necessary to respect each other's concerns and work through dialogue to find proper solutions.