NEW DELHI: Marking the onset of the ‘Year of the Horse’, Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, on Tuesday hailed the strengthening ties between New Delhi and Beijing, revealing that bilateral trade reached a historic high of USD 155.6 billion in 2025.
Speaking at the Chinese New Year Reception in the national capital, Ambassador Xu noted that the relationship has transitioned from a “reset” to a “new level of improvement” following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Tianjin last August.
Highlighting the robust economic engagement, the Ambassador stated that bilateral trade grew by over 12 percent year-on-year. In 2025, bilateral trade between China and India reached a record high of USD 155.6 billion, with India’s exports to China growing 9.7 per cent, underscoring the significant potential for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
He also provided an update on China’s domestic economy, noting that its GDP has exceeded 140 trillion yuan (approximately USD 20 trillion), with growth at 5 per cent and a contribution of more than 30 per cent to global economic growth.
The Ambassador emphasised the restoration of normalcy in travel and religious exchanges, noting that China has resumed the pilgrimage for Indian devotees to the sacred mountain and holy lake in the Xizang Autonomous Region, with nearly 20,000 Indians participating last year. Furthermore, he highlighted that India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens and direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India have been restored, facilitating smoother exchanges between the two peoples.