Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong on Thursday said that the United States was acting like a "bully", and mentioned that despite enjoying the benefits of free trade for so long, Washington was now using tariffs as "bargaining chips."
He said, "China will firmly stand with India," going on to suggest the two countries were twin engines for economic growth in Asia.
"US has long benefited greatly from free trade but now uses tariffs as bargain chips to demand exorbitant prices from various countries. The US imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India, and has even threatened for more. China firmly opposes it. In the face of such acts, silence only emboldens the bully. China will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system with the world trade," he said.
He said that the international order is going through a big change, which is why, China and India as major developing countries, should be united and cooperate with each other. "China and India's friendship benefits Asia. We are the double engines of economic growth in Asia. India and China unity benefits the world at large", the envoy said.
Xu Feihong also stated that it is essential for the two South-Asian nations to cooperate in order to maintain global stability. "India and China have the responsibility to take the lead in promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world...", he said.
Speaking about trade, he said that all Indian commodities are welcome to enter the Chinese market and that both the countries should enhance "strategic mutual trust" and "avoid mutual suspicion", adding "Both countries are partners, not rivals. We should manage differences through dialogue..."
"We'll welcome more Indian goods to enter the Chinese market. India has a competitive edge in IT, software and biomedicine, while the Chinese see a rapid expansion in the fields of electronic manufacturing, infrastructure construction and new energy," said Feihong.
"If connected, the two major markets will produce an effect of one plus one bigger than two," he added.
The comments from the Ambassador of China were made following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to New Delhi.
PM Modi is also going to China later this year to attend the SCO leaders' summit.
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