China Praises PM Modi’s Leadership, Courts India on Trade Despite Doklam Stand-Off
China has praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and India’s “open foreign economic policy”, in an unexpected break from the recently relentless and shrill rhetoric over the standoff in Doklam.
“India has been actively attracting foreign investment, has created a favourable investment climate and has been the largest destination for foreign direct investment in the world for the past two years,” said a commentary issued by the official Xinhua news agency. The report added that “strengthening of trade co-operation” between India and China and their “advocacy of open trade policy” would “definitely contribute to promoting open global trade and containing protectionism.”
The commentary added that “under the leadership of Mr Modi, India has implemented an active foreign policy, has reformed foreign investment policy and encourages domestic enterprises to go on the international market.”
The Xinhua article was an unexpected exception to weeks of hardline commentaries hitting out at India over the Doklam stand-off.
This suggests Beijing’s keenness to rally with India on issues its sees as in its self-interest, such as pushing reform of global financial institutions to give a greater voice to emerging nations, and opposing the anti-globalisation sentiment sweeping Western countries, even as it keeps a hardline and uncompromising stand on other matters. The commentary said” “India’s open foreign economic policy is an important force for the current world where protectionism is on the rise.”
“The South Asian nation has adopted a positive and open foreign economic policy and has been an important supporter for the open foreign trade policy,” it added.
It pointed out that “China-India cooperation can effectively improve openness of the world economy,” and counter trade protectionism which is now largely led by the United States under the Donald Trump administration.”
“The two developing countries share common views and stands on many international affairs. For example, India has cleared its commitment to developing green economy and is a champion of the Paris Climate Agreement,” the commentary added.
The article quoted the Chinese envoy in India Luo Zhaohui as saying “India’s current reform and opening policies are very attractive.” This came amid a trade spat between the two countries over Chinese exports of photovoltaic cells, with India launching an anti-dumping investigation into imports from China, Taiwan and Malaysia.