Sudheendra Kulkarni welcomes Beijing stand on US tariffs, says India-China together can change world order

New Delhi, Aug 22 Foreign Affairs expert and ex-PMO official, Sudheendra Kulkarni, has welcomed China’s criticism of US trade actions against India, calling it a sign of growing convergence between New Delhi and Beijing.

Reacting to Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong’s remarks condemning Washington’s move to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, Kulkarni said the statement reflected China’s solidarity with India against unilateral American measures.

“The ambassador clearly condemned this action and said there should be no silence in the face of a bully. President Trump is bullying the entire world as if he were the global policeman. No one has appointed him as such,” Kulkarni told IANS on Friday.

He strongly endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent tilt towards closer engagement with Beijing, ahead of the PM’s scheduled visit to China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit -- his first since 2017. “India and China are neighbours, the world’s two most populous countries, and ancient civilisations. If we come together, we can change the face of the world and give a new, better direction to the world order, making it more democratic and equitable,” he said.

On whether India could trust China, Kulkarni argued that trust should not be viewed through absolutes. “We trusted America, and Prime Minister Modi even campaigned for Trump on American soil. Yet, the same Trump is now behaving in a most unfriendly manner. Times change. We cannot change our neighbours. As former PM Vajpayee said, we can change our friends, but we cannot change our neighbours. So, we must resolve differences with China through dialogue, not via military means,” he noted.

Kulkarni welcomed the recent visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, pointing to progress on border talks. “Both sides have agreed to look for early harvest solutions. In the coming months, we can expect some real breakthroughs,” he said.

On China’s ties with Pakistan, he urged India to look beyond zero-sum perceptions. “Isn’t America also close to Pakistan? The right way forward is for India and Pakistan to normalise ties and resolve disputes through dialogue. Military clashes will not help either side,” he stressed.

Calling for a “New South Asia”, Kulkarni said India, China and Pakistan must work to resolve their differences, paving the way for regional peace and prosperity.

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