New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday as he makes his first visit to that country in seven years for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ summit in Tianjin.
The two sides are seeking to rebuild and stabilise their ties based on the last meeting between Modi and Xi in Kazan in October last year, in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump imposing 50% tariffs on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases.
The meeting with Xi in Tianjin will be Modi’s first on his China trip. A key outcome following the Sunday’s meeting could be resumption of direct flights between India and China from September, signalling the continued warming of ties that had turned chilly in 2020 amid border clashes.
Talks are also expected to focus on de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and the larger boundary question, besides securing market access for Indian goods for a fair-trade partnership.
Chinese investments in nonstrategic Indian sectors through joint ventures is also likely to be discussed.
China appears to back India on the 50% US tariff, with its ambassador Xu Feihong saying compromise on trade issues only “emboldens the bully.”
India has its own trade issues with China, given the restrictions the latter had imposed on exports of rare earth magnets, fertiliser and other key products, although these are said to have been relaxed since the thaw set in. India doesn’t allow automatic approval of Chinese investments in domestic companies through Press Note 3. While the visit is being described as an effort to reset ties amid the souring of those with the US, New Delhi is not keen to rush to transform the relationship overnight but follow a steady path to stabilise it amid several irritants, said a person familiar with the SinoIndian dynamic.
BEIJING’S OLIVE BRANCH
The Chinese President wrote to his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu to test the waters on improving ties, according to a Bloomberg report. The letter expressed concern about any US deals that would harm China’s interests and named a provincial official who would steer Beijing’s efforts, the report said, adding that the message was forwarded to the Prime Minister.
Ahead of Modi’s journey, the Chinese foreign minister had visited India to prepare the ground for the PM’s visit with tangible steps. During Wang Yi’s trip, the two sides announced several confidence building measures (CBMs), including setting up an expert group, working group and general-level mechanisms, to stabilise the Line of Actual Control.
They decided to set up an expert group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on IndiaChina Border Affairs (WMCC) to explore steps on boundary delimitation. A working group will be set up under the WMCC to advance effective border management to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas. General-level mechanisms will be established in the eastern and middle sectors in addition to that in the western sector. There was bilateral agreement to reopen border trade through points at the three passes of Lipulekh, Shipki La and Nathu La. They also agreed to expedite trade and investment flows through concrete measures.
Wang Yi’s visit also saw the two agreeing on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. Also, it was decided to continue and further expand the scale of the Indian pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. The Chinese side has said it will share hydrological information during emergency situations based on humanitarian considerations, officials said.
Prime Minister Modi is likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday morning, their first meeting in 2025. This will help prepare for Putin’s visit to India for the annual bilateral summit that will focus on defence, energy, connectivity, trade, industrial and mobility partnership, among other issues, including Ukraine and the meeting with Trump. Modi is also expected to meet the Iranian President in Tianjin.
The two sides are seeking to rebuild and stabilise their ties based on the last meeting between Modi and Xi in Kazan in October last year, in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump imposing 50% tariffs on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases.
The meeting with Xi in Tianjin will be Modi’s first on his China trip. A key outcome following the Sunday’s meeting could be resumption of direct flights between India and China from September, signalling the continued warming of ties that had turned chilly in 2020 amid border clashes.
Talks are also expected to focus on de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and the larger boundary question, besides securing market access for Indian goods for a fair-trade partnership.
Chinese investments in nonstrategic Indian sectors through joint ventures is also likely to be discussed.
China appears to back India on the 50% US tariff, with its ambassador Xu Feihong saying compromise on trade issues only “emboldens the bully.”
India has its own trade issues with China, given the restrictions the latter had imposed on exports of rare earth magnets, fertiliser and other key products, although these are said to have been relaxed since the thaw set in. India doesn’t allow automatic approval of Chinese investments in domestic companies through Press Note 3. While the visit is being described as an effort to reset ties amid the souring of those with the US, New Delhi is not keen to rush to transform the relationship overnight but follow a steady path to stabilise it amid several irritants, said a person familiar with the SinoIndian dynamic.
BEIJING’S OLIVE BRANCH
The Chinese President wrote to his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu to test the waters on improving ties, according to a Bloomberg report. The letter expressed concern about any US deals that would harm China’s interests and named a provincial official who would steer Beijing’s efforts, the report said, adding that the message was forwarded to the Prime Minister.
Ahead of Modi’s journey, the Chinese foreign minister had visited India to prepare the ground for the PM’s visit with tangible steps. During Wang Yi’s trip, the two sides announced several confidence building measures (CBMs), including setting up an expert group, working group and general-level mechanisms, to stabilise the Line of Actual Control.
They decided to set up an expert group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on IndiaChina Border Affairs (WMCC) to explore steps on boundary delimitation. A working group will be set up under the WMCC to advance effective border management to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas. General-level mechanisms will be established in the eastern and middle sectors in addition to that in the western sector. There was bilateral agreement to reopen border trade through points at the three passes of Lipulekh, Shipki La and Nathu La. They also agreed to expedite trade and investment flows through concrete measures.
Wang Yi’s visit also saw the two agreeing on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. Also, it was decided to continue and further expand the scale of the Indian pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. The Chinese side has said it will share hydrological information during emergency situations based on humanitarian considerations, officials said.
Prime Minister Modi is likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday morning, their first meeting in 2025. This will help prepare for Putin’s visit to India for the annual bilateral summit that will focus on defence, energy, connectivity, trade, industrial and mobility partnership, among other issues, including Ukraine and the meeting with Trump. Modi is also expected to meet the Iranian President in Tianjin.
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