Modi, Xi to meet in Astana amid downturn in relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet this week on the sidelines of SCO summit in Astana, amid growing differences between the two countries over a host of issues including the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor and NSG.
Efforts were on through diplomatic channels to arrange a meeting between the two leaders, informed sources said.
The summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) being held on June 8-9 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is special for India as it would be formally admitted into the China dominated sixnation grouping along with Pakistan.
Till now China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the group’s full members. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status.
Chinese officials say that Beijing attaches importance to the ModiXi meeting as this would be the first this year and taking place after India boycotted the high-profile Belt and Road Forum held here last month in which 29 world leaders took part.
India abstained from the summit to highlight its concerns over the $50 billion CPEC which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK).
China is vocal about its stand to block India’s admission into the 48member NSG besides moves to list JeM leader Masood Azhar as terrorist by the UN.