Even though the economic agenda remains high on its priority list, India and China will try to iron out some contentious issues between them during the upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.
These include the issues of stapled visas to residents of Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh and boundary transgressions. While Indian officials are working overtime to finalise the agreements to be signed during Jinping’s visit, diplomats said “all substantive issues” having bearing on the ties will be discussed.
“The key expectation from the visit is that we will address issues of interests and concerns to each other. The path towards solutions is based on a beginning of addressing those issues,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs. On the issue of stapled visas, the spokesperson said the two countries know each other’s sensitivities and it was the intention of both the countries to try and work out issues accordingly.
"India's stand has been that no differentiation should be made between people from any part of India while issuing visas," Akbaruddin said on issuance of stapled visas.
Jinping arrives in India on September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, at Ahmedabad where Modi will receive him and host a private dinner for him. Modi tweeted on Monday that he looked forward to welcoming President Jinping and was sure that the visit would strengthen ties between India and China, which share a strong bond of Buddhism.
Modi and Xi will hold talks on two occasions. First when Modi hosts a dinner for Jinping in Ahmedabad and then in New Delhi on September 18 in a restricted and delegation-level format.
The meeting between the two leaders is expected to result in the signing of a number of MoUs. In a possible bid to outdo Japan that committed $35 billion during Modi's visit to Tokyo, Jinping is expected to announce huge investments in setting up two Chinese industrial parks, one each in Gujarat and Maharashtra, investments in railways networks, and smart city projects as a birthday gift to Modi. The two leaders are also likely to discuss cooperation in nuclear energy, trade deficit and visa regime.
"We hope to cover some important milestones with China and hope for deepening of relationships. We see the meeting as an opportunity for progress on issues of Indo-Chinese interests," said Akbaruddin.