China has said it wants to manage its relationship with India from a “strategic height and long-term perspective”, just ahead of President Xi Jinping’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The two leaders are scheduled to meet on Saturday, September 12, 2026, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit being hosted by India.
The comments came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Friday, as Xi began his visit for the summit. Mao said China is ready to work with India to implement the “strategic guidance” given by both leaders and to handle bilateral issues with a long-term viewpoint.
What China is saying
Beijing’s key message is that India and China should:
- Look at their relationship in strategic and long-term terms, not just through immediate disputes.
- Enhance communication and strengthen cooperation where possible.
- Appropriately address differences, including long-standing border and security concerns.
- Build a relationship of good neighbourliness and mutual support, according to Mao.
Mao also highlighted that this will be the third consecutive year in which Modi and Xi have met, after previous encounters at BRICS and other multilateral forums in Kazan and Tianjin. For China, that continuity is being presented as a sign that high-level dialogue can continue even when broader ties remain complicated.
BRICS as the main stage
While the Modi–Xi meeting is drawing attention, China is framing Xi’s trip primarily around the BRICS Summit. Beijing says Xi will use the summit to put forward China’s initiatives and proposals for deeper cooperation among BRICS members.
Chinese officials describe BRICS as a crucial platform for the Global South, based on:
- Openness and inclusivity
- Win–win cooperation
- Support for multilateralism
- Emphasis on fairness and common development.
In this reading, BRICS is not just an economic club but a political space where major emerging powers coordinate on issues such as trade, finance, climate, and reform of global institutions.
Why the India visit matters for Beijing
Chinese state media commentary has described Xi’s India visit—his first in seven years—as important for the gradual normalization of bilateral ties. The argument advanced in these reports is that:
- Multilateral platforms like BRICS can create room for bilateral engagement between India and China.
- Better bilateral ties can, in turn, improve coordination within multilateral groups.
For New Delhi, the summit offers a chance to host a major global event and engage with Beijing in a controlled, multilateral setting, without turning the meeting into a standalone bilateral breakthrough.
What to expect from the Modi–Xi talks
Given the history of border tensions and diplomatic chill in recent years, both sides are likely to keep their language careful and measured. Public statements are expected to stress:
- The importance of stability along the border
- The need for continued communication between military and diplomatic channels
- A focus on managing differences rather than announcing big new deals.
Any concrete outcomes, if they emerge, are likely to be modest and carefully calibrated so as not to trigger domestic political backlash in either country.
Bigger picture for India–China ties
The meeting underscores a delicate balancing act. India wants to:
- Protect its security interests and sovereignty, especially along the disputed border
- Engage China where it serves Indian interests, including in multilateral forums and on issues like climate and trade
- Avoid giving the impression of a rapid “reset” that could be seen as ignoring past confrontations.
China, meanwhile, wants to:
- Present itself as a responsible power open to dialogue and stability
- Use BRICS and similar platforms to strengthen its role in the Global South
- Keep bilateral tensions from derailing its broader diplomatic and economic agenda.
The BRICS Summit in Delhi thus becomes more than just an economic meeting. It is also a test of whether India and China can use multilateral spaces to reduce friction, even as hard security issues remain unresolved.
