Against the backdrop of the recent strain in India-China relationship, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday in her meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi took up the issues of Beijing’s objection to India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and its blocking of a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, besides the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in POK.
Swaraj raised the matter of China’s objection to India’s application in the NSG, and offered to discuss the technical issues that Beijing has raised. It was agreed that the Director Generals of Disarmament of the two countries would meet soon in this regard. Further, the two sides decided to put in place a new mechanism at the level of Foreign Secretaries to discuss various aspects of bilateral ties which have witnessed strain in the recent past. Incidentally, China did not bring up the topic of South China Sea.
Nevertheless, Swaraj took up China’s technical hold on the listing of Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist in the United Nations Security Council 1267 Committee. Sources said she urged China to revisit its technical hold in line with its own professed zero tolerance towards terrorism. In the same breath, she conveyed India’s concerns on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Wang and Swaraj also discussed issues relating to the annual BRICS summit which will be hosted in Goa in October. Before his meeting with Swaraj, Wang called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him on the upcoming G-20 Summit to be held in China in September while PM conveyed greetings to President Xi Jinping.
During their three-hour meeting, the two Foreign Ministers had a lengthy discussion on India’s NSG membership. Swaraj outlined the importance of meeting India’s clean energy goals in the context of COP-21. As Wang mentioned the signing of NPT as an important clause, Swaraj offered to discuss all technical aspects pertaining to India’s application and clear China’s doubts.
The two leaders also reviewed situation on the border and discussed further steps to strengthen peace and tranquility. “Overall, discussions were in a positive, constructive and open spirit. Progress in bilateral ties was reviewed, as also challenges on some recent issues. There was positive assessment of expanding investments, more infrastructure cooperation, easier visas, greater tourism and expanded cultural, academic and civil society interactions,” sources said.