Swaraj to address issues of concern during four-day visit to Beijing
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold talks on “issues of concern” with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a four-day visit to Beijing starting Saturday. Her trip comes soon after US President Barack Obama’s visit to New Delhi and India inking a pact for operationalisation of the Nuclear pact and issuing a joint statement with the US on the South China Sea. Swaraj will also attend the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral meeting there.
The External Affairs Ministry said here on Wednesday, Swaraj will “discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of concern to both sides.” The two sides will also explore the possibility of a visit to China by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Wang Yi visited India last year immediately after the Modi Government assumed office.
Noting that both sides attach “great importance” to Swaraj’s visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing in Beijing that bilateral ties between the two largest developing countries and major emerging economies were progressing in a “sound and stable way.” “Our cooperation has made some headway. We are enhancing mutual political trust and practical cooperation in various fields. We are in sound coordination and cooperation in regional and international issues,” she said.
As regards Swaraj’s other engagement in China, officials said she will also attend the RIC meeting with her Chinese and Russian counterparts. The meeting was earlier scheduled to take place in August but Swaraj cancelled her trip which was to take place just ahead of Modi’s visit to Japan. She will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei lavrov on the sidelines of the trilateral conclave. Swaraj will also inaugurate the second India-China High level Media Forum and attend the launch of Visit India.
Her visit to Beijing comes in the backdrop of China describing Obama’s visit here as “superficial rapprochement” while talking about differences between India and the US on various issues like climate change. China’s state-run Xinhua news agency in a commentary, said: “The shortened three-day visit is more symbolic than pragmatic, given the long-standing division between the two giants, which may be as huge as the distance between them.”
Obama favoured a “greater role” for India in the Asia Pacific region which is seen as the US’ attempt to contain China’s influence in the area including in the South China Sea. Beijing claims sovereignty over large swathes of the South China Sea, home to maritime lanes that are vital to global trade. China also reacted coldly to indications that US will back India for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and cautioned that any such move “requires very careful consideration from all member countries.”
Observers feel that if the US pushed for India’s case for NSG, China, which helped Pakistan to build two nuclear plants, will lobby for a seat for Islamabad. The NSG has 48 members and China said India should first accept the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) before aiming for the NSG seat.