Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met China's top diplomat and hailed the “steady progress” made in improving the countries' relationship after a yearslong standoff between the nuclear-armed powers.

China and India have agreed to resume trade ties and move towards resolving their longstanding border dispute.

India and China should view each other as "partners" rather than "adversaries or threats", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, as he arrived for a two-day visit to Delhi.

BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Afghanistan on Wednesday for an official visit, according to a statement from his ministry. Wang is also there to attend a China, Afghanistan and Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers' meeting.

There is an upward trend in India-China relations and Beijing has promised to address New Delhi's needs on rare earths, a top Indian official and a source said on Tuesday, as the neighbours rebuild ties that were damaged by a 2020 border clash.

Back in April, Beijing tightened the screws on exports of seven key rare earth elements and magnets, citing end-use checks and stricter licensing rules.