India-China relations have improved from ‘reset and fresh start’ to ‘new level’: Chinese envoy Xu Feihong

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Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong at The Hindu Huddle in Bengaluru on June 5, 2026. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

India-China relations over the past year have improved from a “reset and fresh start” to a “new level of development”, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said on Friday (June 5, 2026), calling for accelerated efforts towards a “full normalisation” of relations and to address a “serious deficit of trust”.

Speaking at The Hindu Huddlein Bengaluru in conversation with The Hindu’s Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar, Mr. Xu said the two leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping — had played “a leading role in providing strategic guidance for relations between our two countries.”

“Both President Xi and Prime Minister Modi attach great importance to bilateral ties and view relations from the strategic and long-term perspective,” he said.

“The diplomatic teams of two sides have been working very hard to step up communication and cooperation at various levels to advance implementation of the important common understandings between the two leaders. I would say the leaders have led relations from a reset and fresh start to a new level of development.”

Mr. Xu said he was “very glad to see the gradual and tangible progress” both sides had made recently, including through easing of restrictions on investments from China, resumption of the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra for Indian pilgrims, resumption of direct flights between several cities, and other measures. At the same time, he said ties were not yet fully normalised.

“It is true we have made progress and improvement in relations, but the full normalisation of our ties still calls for joint and continuous efforts from our two countries,” Mr. Xu said. “China-India relations are one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. The importance of relations extends the bilateral scope and carries global strategic significance.”

He said the Chinese side was “happy to see the Ind