New era for China-South Asia cooperation

President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit to Nepal on Sunday after holding his second informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and Saturday. Generating tangible results, Xi's trip has opened a new chapter in China's relations with the two countries, and signaled that China's cooperation with its two neighbors has entered a new era.

First of all, the informal meeting mechanism between the Chinese and Indian leaders has provided a platform for the two sides to grasp and set the development direction for the bilateral relationship, expand the areas for cooperation and resolve real problems through negotiations. Featuring the guidance from the top leaders, the mechanism of regular informal meetings conforms to the development needs of both countries, and acts as a stabilizer and booster of bilateral ties. The informal meeting mechanism has also provided a new way of thinking about the development of the two countries' relations amid the unprecedented changes in the international relations arena.

In addition, the meeting between Xi and Modi focused on development and deepening cooperation, meeting the new demands of both countries at their respective development stages. The two leaders exchanged their aspirations for development and their respective country's development goals and enhanced understanding of each other's development strategies. Both China and India are deepening reform and unleashing its potential, which has provided new momentum for the two countries to increase cooperation.