Secret Xi Letter Revived India Ties After Trump Tariff Barrage

In March 2018, as the US-China trade war escalated under the Trump administration, Beijing initiated a quiet diplomatic outreach to India. A secret letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a crucial role in reviving India-China ties during this period. The letter highlighted the need for the two Asian giants to work together and maintain stability in their relationship, especially in the face of rising trade tensions with the US. This helped pave the way for a summit between Modi and Xi in the Chinese city of Wuhan in April 2018, where the two leaders agreed to manage their differences and not let border disputes derail the bilateral relationship. The article emphasizes how China's proactive diplomacy, spearheaded by Xi's personal outreach, helped defuse tensions with India amidst the broader US-China trade conflict, underscoring the strategic importance of the India-China relationship for Beijing.