Shanghai: PM Modi may attend SCO Summit in China from Aug 31 to Sept 1
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin city from August 31 to September 1.
If he goes, this will be his first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash of 2020 in East Ladakh. He last visited China in 2019, the media reported on Wednesday.
His discussions with SCO member-countries will likely cover regional security, terrorism, and trade. Efforts will be made to restore stability and dialogue in India-China relations.
There is a possibility of PM Modi’s informal meetings with Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit.
Earlier, in October 2024, PM Modi and Xi Jinping met at the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
Following that, efforts to reduce border tensions between the two countries gained momentum.
Prior to this, PM Modi will visit Japan on August 30.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also attended the SCO meetings held earlier this year.
Dr. Jaishankar had also met Xi in Beijing and briefed him on recent developments in India-China relations while emphasising the importance of continued leadership guidance in advancing bilateral ties.
The relationship between India and China hit rock bottom in May 2020 after violent clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan. Twenty Indian troops and many more Chinese soldiers lost their lives in the clash, and casualties were also reported on the Chinese side.
After tense ties for over four years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan on October 23, 2024, marking the revival of bilateral ties between two Asian giants.
The two leaders welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas.
PM Modi had underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity.
In June, both countries agreed to resume direct air services, and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for pilgrims, and take steps towards visa facilitation and also share data on transnational rivers.
Last month, the Indian Embassy in China said India is set to resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens.
