Modi, Xi meet in tense times
NSG bid, Masood, ChinaPak corridor could be discussed
MODI EXPECTED TO RAISE THE ISSUE OF FIGHTING TERRORISM IN A CONCERTED MANNER
NEWDELHI/BEIJING: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China’s President Xi Jinping for the first time in nearly eight months at the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Astana this morning — and it could be their testiest encounter yet.
Modi is expected to flag a host of issues that have bedevilled India-China ties, including Beijing’s consistent blocking New Delhi’s efforts to sanction Jaishe-Mohammed chief Mazood Azhar at the United Nations, and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC) that runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Despite these contentious issues, officials on both sides expressed some hope that Modi and Xi would at least try to put bilateral ties back on track in the lead-up to the BRICS Summit in Xiamen in September.
Among other things, the two leaders are expected to stress the need for regular high-level inter- actions.
Diplomats noted that a recent statement from Modi was welcomed by China last week. “It is true that we have a border dispute with China. But in the last 40 years, not a single bullet has been fired because of the border dispute,” Modi said during a panel discussion at an economic event in St Petersburg. But the differences between the two countries could yet dominate discussions in the Kazakhstan capital.
With India giving special focus to terrorism at the SCO Summit, Modi will raise the issue of fighting terrorism in the region in a concerted manner.
This includes India’s efforts to list the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief under UN Security Council Resolution 1267, which have been repeatedly blocked by China.
Besides Azhar, several other issues have emerged as irritants in bilateral ties. India recently boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) meet in Beijing organised to showcase Xi’s flagship connectivity initiative and China has stymied India’s efforts to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the elite club that controls trade in nuclear technology.
India was easily the most notable absentee at the high-profile BRF in May that was attended by nearly 30 heads of state and representatives from other countries. China tried in various ways to convince India to join the forum but it boiled down to New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns on the CPEC passing through PoK.
India was also conspicuous by its absence at the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX) underway in Beijing.