"China Needs Stability With India": Ex-Government Adviser To NDTV On Xi-PM Modi Meet

China needs stability with India and wants to ensure that New Delhi does not become part of any alliance aimed at Beijing, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, former adviser to the Chinese government, has said.Speaking to NDTV's Shiv Aroor as Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Kuhn said it is in China's interest to have a stable relationship with India."The relationship between India and China is perhaps the second most important bilateral relationship in the world after the China-US relationship," Kuhn said.#NDTVAtBRICS | "China needs stability with India": Robert Lawrence Kuhn, Former Adviser, Chinese Government, to @ShivAroor pic.twitter.com/JSRIVnTkr2— NDTV (@ndtv) September 12, 2026Xi's visit to India is his first in seven years, at a time when ties between the two countries have been strained by the border dispute and trade imbalance."I believe that China, and Xi Jinping in particular, needs and wants to have a stable relationship with India so that India doesn't become part of a so-called anti-China alliance, whether it's the Quad or relationship with Japan," Kuhn said.Kuhn said the India-China relationship could become the most important bilateral relationship in the world in the second half of the 21st century, after the China-US relationship.He said Xi Jinping needs stability as China works towards improving the standard of living of its people. He said China's focus on improving living standards includes efforts such as the anti-poverty campaign and the "Common Prosperity" programme.At the same time, Xi has called for the idea of the "Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation", which involves strengthening China's position in the world."China cannot do that if there's not stability in the world and stability with India is critical on that list," Kuhn said.He also pointed to the personal relationship between Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi. The Chinese President mentioned during the bilateral meeting that the two leaders had met 21 times and reached several important agreements that had helped guide relations.According to Kuhn, both Xi and Modi are powerful leaders with long-term visions for their countries. He said both have set targets for where they want their countries to be in the coming years.Kuhn said the border issue remains one of the biggest challenges in India-China relations, particularly after the military standoff in eastern Ladakh in 2020.He said Xi has made protecting China's territorial integrity a key part of his vision for the country. Taiwan and the South China Sea are the biggest issues in this regard for Beijing, while the India-China border is also part of the concern. However, Kuhn said the India border issue is less important to China than Taiwan and the South China Sea."India and China cannot be compared with any other relationship, really," he said.Kuhn also highlighted the large trade imbalance between India and China.He said bilateral trade is now around $130 billion, with about $110 billion comprising India's imports from China. India's exports to China are less than $20 billion, he said, adding that the current trade pattern is not sustainable in the long term.