Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi meet, two days after a China-India border deal

China and India should manage their differences properly, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, in their first meeting since the bilateral relationship was badly strained by a deadly border clash four years ago.

“It is important for both sides to have more communication and cooperation, properly handle differences and disagreements, and facilitate each other’s pursuit of development aspirations,” Xi told Modi on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia.

“It is also important for both sides to shoulder our international responsibilities, set an example for boosting the strength and unity of developing countries, and contribute to promoting multi-polarisation and democracy in international relations,” he said.

In a post on his X account after the meeting, Modi wrote that India-China relations were “important for the people of our countries, and for regional and global peace and stability”.

“Mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity will guide bilateral relations,” he said.