This meeting is overshadowed by ongoing wars, trade challenges, and energy issues testing the divided organization.
The two-day meeting of the 11-country bloc will focus primarily on conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as global trade instability and energy security.
This visit by Xi Jinping is being closely watched as it is his first visit to neighboring India since 2019 and the most important step in the cautious thawing of relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
Xi Jinping was welcomed with ceremony: he was greeted by an honor guard and dancers dressed in traditional colorful costumes.
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The Chinese leader arrived six years after a deadly military clash in 2020 in the disputed border area of Tibet. Since then, ties have gradually improved with the resumption of flights, visa issuance, and high-level contacts.
On Friday, Beijing stated it is “ready to work with India (…) to strengthen communication, increase cooperation, and properly resolve disagreements.”
The main territorial dispute remains unresolved, and both sides maintain large military forces along the approximately 3,500-kilometer high-altitude border with Tibet.
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