‘Gathering of friendship’: China welcomes PM Modi for SCO Tianjin Summit – signal thaw in ties | India News

China welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin later this month, said the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, reacting to reports of PM Modi’s upcoming visit to the neighbouring nation.“China welcomes Prime Minister Modi to China for the SCO Tianjin Summit,” said the spokesperson. The summit, scheduled for August 31 to September 1, will bring together leaders from over 20 countries, including all SCO member states, along with heads of 10 international organisations.Jiakun noted that the Tianjin Summit would be the largest since the organisation’s establishment. He also expressed confidence that it would be a gathering of solidarity, friendship, and fruitful results.He added that the SCO was poised to enter “a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism, and productiveness.”This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to China since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and comes amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. The SCO Summit serves as a key platform for member states to discuss regional security, economic cooperation, and geopolitical issues.PM Modi last met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2024 during the Brics Summit in Kazan, Russia, which was their first formal meeting in five years. His upcoming visit comes as US President Donald Trump imposes additional 25 per cent tariffs and penalties against India over its continued imports of Russian energy, a commodity purchased in large quantities by both New Delhi and Beijing.