India, Aug. 8 -- During a visit to China in early July, this author had the opportunity to engage a wide spectrum of Chinese interlocutors to gauge the mood in Beijing towards India. It also provided a glimpse into China's outlook towards the US in the Trump 2.0 era. A general view among Chinese scholars and intellectuals was that Trump's policies have created great uncertainty, with a retrograde push towards de-globalisation. The core of US-China competition is technology. Cyber technologies and AI are adding to the complexity. The mood in Beijing was more confident and combative towards the US than during the Biden administration. There was widespread conviction that the US was in decline. Ironically, Chinese interlocutors viewed Trump's tariff wars and his proclivity for "deals" as an opportunity to secure China's interests. The view in Beijing of China's global leadership currently borders on a zero-sum approach, with "the inevitable decline of the US and the ineluctable rise of China as the global leader". Bitterness and a serves-them-right attitude towards the US was unmistakable and all pervasive. Chinese scholars and experts appeared to be convinced that the world stands divided into two camps led by the US and China respectively, and that the current moment provided India an opportunity to join hands with China. As for their outlook on India-China ties, there was a general consensus that relations have improved since the meeting between Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in October last. However, ties are at a sensitive juncture, and remain fragile. They felt that the key task is to preserve the gains made and work towards normalisation. Several Chinese interlocutors felt that, despite outstanding issues and differences, both sides should advance cooperation in diverse sectors. They reiterated the Chinese view that bilateral relations should not be subject to "third-country considerations". They recommended that China and India should deepen economic ties. They spoke of the potential of a "twin-engine" partnership in AI. Xi had launched the Global AI Governance Initiative in October 2023. More recently, China has announced an initiative to set up the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, headquartered in Shanghai. Outer space is another area where the two sides could cooperate, they maintained. Chinese experts appeared keen on advancing bilateral cooperation through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Brics platforms. There are reports that PM Modi is likely to visit China to attend the SCO Summit in late August. Mutual perceptions were discussed. Chinese interlocutors acknowledged that the gulf had widened recently. Apart from the vexatious boundary dispute, China's growing tandem with Pakistan, quite evident during Operation Sindoor, has consolidated the negative perceptions in India. They reasoned that rivalry should not become our permanent destiny. They stated that the current geopolitical flux provides opportunities for India and China to work together. Some Chinese experts felt that India's industrial growth stands to benefit from a deeper economic partnership with China as compared to any other country. China, they said, can help India to leapfrog in EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction). Until the downturn in relations following the bloodletting in Galwan in 2020, China had a well-established presence in India in many infrastructure projects, ports, telecom, even in rare earths and aluminium refinement. Potential energy co-operation, including in third countries, was emphasised, as was transfer of technology to the Global South. On the whole, the outlook in Beijing towards India appeared positive, yet tentative. The strategic community in Beijing appeared keen to smoothen ruffled feathers without giving in on any core issue in China's dealings with India. While extolling the principle of equality, some betrayed hubris. There was more than a hint that India should acknowledge China's global pre-eminence. There was also a view, tinged with a degree of exasperation, that India did not have the right to question or thwart the visits of Chinese naval and research vessels to the Indian Ocean, which Beijing regards as normal activity in keeping with China's growing engagement and interests. Taking the viewpoints expressed in Beijing into account, there is no gainsaying that Track-2 dialogues are useful, particularly when relations with both the US and China stand severely tested. India would do well to explore a new modus vivendi with both to guard its national interests, without heightened expectations of either....