Wed Apr 09 08:56:59 UTC 2025: ## Trump’s Tariffs Unexpectedly Foster India-China Cooperation

**New Delhi/Beijing** – Donald Trump’s escalating trade war with China is having an unforeseen consequence: pushing India and China towards greater cooperation. The US President’s tariffs on Chinese goods, now reaching a staggering 104%, have prompted conciliatory statements from Beijing towards New Delhi.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi previously urged India and China to collaborate, describing the need to “make the dragon and elephant dance” in the face of US trade aggression. This sentiment was echoed recently by Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing, who called for the two largest developing economies to stand together against what she termed the US’s “abuse of tariffs.” Jing’s statement emphasized the mutual benefit of the China-India economic relationship and warned that trade wars have no winners. She also highlighted China’s significant contribution to global economic growth.

While India hasn’t formally responded to these overtures, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently stated that India-China relations are moving in a positive direction. This follows a statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping urging cooperation with India. These high-level calls for collaboration are significant, even if seemingly prompted by the US tariff pressure.

The situation contrasts sharply with the strained relations between India and China following the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash. However, a border patrol agreement reached last October appears to have initiated a thaw, further enhanced by the current trade dynamics.

Meanwhile, India is facing its own tariff challenges from the US, though less severe than China’s. While Trump has levied a 26% tariff on certain Indian goods, India has indicated it will not retaliate, focusing instead on negotiating a trade deal and potentially reducing its own tariffs. This contrasts with China’s response of imposing an 84% tariff on US imports. Analysts predict a significant, yet currently unquantified, hit to Indian exports to the US as a result of the tariffs.

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