'Dragon and elephant': China softens tone with India amid Donald Trump’s tariff tussle

China struck a conciliatory note toward India, with its Foreign Ministry calling for a “cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant” as the two Asian giants adjust their positions amid global shifts, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s harder line on China.

Responding to questions about the future of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said India and China should prioritize cooperation as “major developing countries and important members of the Global South.”

“A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant as partners helping each other succeed is the right choice for both sides,” Lin said in Beijing, framing collaboration as a natural choice over rivalry.

The remarks come at a delicate juncture. India has been recalibrating its global partnerships as ties with the U.S. face friction over trade, tariffs, and strategic autonomy. 

Trump on Friday hinted at possible new tariffs on China, though he said after his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would not need to “think about that right now.” Instead, he suggested he may revisit the issue “in two or three weeks.”

The delay follows Trump’s claims that tariffs have been an effective tool to pressure adversaries and trading partners alike — from India to China — into negotiations. “When you lose your second largest customer, and you’re probably going to lose your first largest customer, I think that probably has a role,” Trump said, referring to Russian oil sales to India and China.

For Beijing, Trump’s approach is a reminder of the economic headwinds facing its already slowing growth. By invoking the “dragon and elephant” metaphor, Chinese officials are signaling a desire to stabilize ties with New Delhi, perhaps to avoid being strategically isolated as U.S.-India cooperation deepens despite current strains.