Upon his arrival in New Delhi on May 10, Xu Feihong, China’s recently appointed ambassador to India, assumed his duties.
President Xi Jinping selected him for the role on May 7, making him the 17th Chinese ambassador to India. This appointment came after an unexpected 18-month delay, reflecting the strained relations between the two nations.
Upon his arrival, the 60-year-old diplomat engaged in meetings with representatives from the protocol division of the ministry of external affairs of India, the dean of the diplomatic corps, and the ambassador of Eritrea to India, HE Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam. Additionally, he received greetings from Minister Ma Jia, Minister Wang Lei, Minister Counsellor Chen Jianjun from the Chinese Embassy, and his wife Tan Yuxiu at the airport.
Xu, a career diplomat, held the position of assistant foreign minister at the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs from February 2021 until 2023, when he was unexpectedly relieved of his duties without any clear explanation. In addition to this role, Xu has previously served as the ambassador to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013 and Romania from 2015 to 2018. Notably, Xu has been assigned to various postings in Finland, New Zealand, and the UK, with a particular emphasis on Europe, as highlighted in a report by the South China Morning Post.
He will take over from the experienced Chinese diplomat Sun Weidong, who concluded his tenure in October 2022. This vacancy marks the longest period without an incumbent since 1976. Prior to this role, Sun served as the ambassador to Pakistan and currently holds the position of vice foreign minister, where he is responsible for overseeing Beijing’s South Asia policy.
Xu, in an interview with state broadcaster CGTN, emphasized the mutual understanding between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi that regards neighbouring countries as cooperation partners rather than competitors. He highlighted his priority of fostering “sound and steady” bilateral relations during his tenure in India. Xu expressed his intention to adhere to the existing understanding between China and India, aiming to engage with individuals from various sectors in India and to re-establish communication channels between the two nations.
Xu’s arrival in New Delhi coincides with India’s general elections and ongoing military negotiations between Beijing and New Delhi to resolve the Ladakh border standoff. Relations between the two countries have been strained since the standoff began in May 2020, resulting in frozen ties except for trade. Despite 21 rounds of talks, significant disengagement has only occurred at four points. India insists on further disengagement, particularly in the Depsang and Demchok areas, before normalizing relations with China.
