‘India, China, Pak unity can maintain peace’
Endorsing the idea of trilateral cooperation between India, China and Pakistan under the aegis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Beijing's envoy Luo Zhaohui on Monday said it could "in the future" help resolve bilateral issues between New Delhi and Islamabad.
‘‘So, if China, Russia and Mongolia can have a trilateral summit, then why not India, China and Pakistan?'' he said
The Chinese envoy to India also said that bilateral ties between India and China can't take the strain of another Doklam episode and underscored the need to find
a "mutually acceptable solution" on the boundary issue through a meeting of Special Representatives.
‘‘We cannot stand another Doklam, we need to control, manage, narrow differences through expanding cooperation. The boundary question was left over by history. We need to find a mutual acceptable solution through Special Representatives," said the ambassador, speaking at a seminar in Delhi.
He said "some Indian friends" had suggested trilateral cooperation comprising India, China and Pakistan under the aegis of the SCO, which was a "very constructive idea".
Responding to a question on whether a trilateral meet will help in solving the IndiaPakistan dispute, he said: "Maybe not now, but in the future, that is the great idea.’’ The foreign ministry is yet to respond to the statements.
Luo also suggested that India and China should think about signing a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. He said a draft on this was provided to the Indian side about 10 years ago.
The envoy today said China will continue to promote religious exchanges and make arrangements for Indian pilgrims going to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet.
Post-Doklam, there have been frequent high-level engagements between the leaders of the two countries.
Luo said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met twice in the last two months in Wuhan and Qingdao, are also likely to meet on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit and G20 Summit later this year.
If China, Russia and Mongolia can have a trilateral summit, then why not India, China and Pakistan?
–Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui