Prez Xi calls for ‘holistic approach’ to fight terrorism
CHINA HAD RECENTLY RULED OUT DISCUSSING PAKISTAN’S RECORD IN CROSSBORDER TERRORISM AT THE THREEDAY SUMMIT
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for a “holistic approach” to fight terrorism in all its forms, ahead of the BRICS leaders meeting on Monday. His statement comes days after China ruled out discussing Pakistan’s record in cross-border terrorism at the three-day summit.
Delivering the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Business Forum on Sunday, Xi said, “I am convinced that as long as we take a holistic approach to fighting terrorism in all its forms, and address both its symptoms and root causes, terrorists will have no place to hide.”
“We BRICS countries are committed to upholding global peace and contributing to the international security order,” Xi said.
Xi added that “geopolitical hotspot issues” can be resolved through negotiations. “When dialogue, consultation and negotiation are conducted to create conditions for achieving political settlement of issues such as Syria, Libya and the Palestine-Israel conflict, the flame of war can be put out, and displaced refugees will eventually return to their homes,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is to reach Xiamen later on Sunday, is expected to raise the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan in his speech at the summit and in bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi himself.
At last year’s summit, held in Goa, Modi referred to Pakistan as Pakistan is the “mothership of terrorism”.
However, China is unlikely to talk about India’s specific contention this year — on Thursday, it ruled out any discussions on its ally Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts in Xiamen, saying it would not be a “appropriate” topic to be taken up by the grouping despite concerns expressed by India.
“We also noticed that India, when it comes to Pakistan’s counter-terrorism, has some concerns. I don’t think this is an appropriate topic to be discussed at the BRICS Summit,” ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying had said.
India could well surmise that the mention of tackling terrorism in “all its forms” as mentioned by Xi in his Sunday’s speech was but a lip-service that he paid to broader concerns on the issue.