China and India want better relations, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said, in the latest sign of a thaw between the Asian rivals as they push to normalize relations amid unpredictable U.S. trade policies.

The remarks were made at a bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who is visiting India for the first time in three years.

"Having seen a difficult period in our relationship” both nations "now seek to move ahead,” Jaishankar said in New Delhi on Monday. "Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict,” he added.