India, US, Japan take a jab at BRI, call for respecting territorial integrity

WASHINGTON: India, Japan and the United States on Monday called for the respect of “international norms” and “sovereignty and territorial integrity” on connectivity initiatives, delivering a thinly veiled joint reminder to China on its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“On connectivity initiatives, the importance of basing them on universally recognised international norms, prudent financing and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity was underlined,” a statement released by the three countries said.

The remarks came at the end of a trilateral meeting that external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj held with Rex Tillerson and Taro Kono — her US and Japanese counterparts — on the sidelines of the UN general assembly meeting in New York. This was her first meeting with Tillerson.

The three ministers “emphasised the need for ensuring freedom of navigation, respect for international law and peaceful resolution of disputes”, a clear reference to China’s muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and its dispute with littoral states, including Japan.

India has opposed the BRI, a component of which — the Chinapakistan Economic Corridor — traverses Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The government has repeatedly called for respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty, and skipped a recent meeting hosted by China of the project’s various stakeholders.

New Delhi’s concerns on the issue were reflected in letter — word for word — and spirit in the India-us joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump met in June.