After handling Pak on J&K, China may woo India for biz, investments in TN Summit
- Xi-Imran meeting on October 8
- FATF to decide Pakistan’s fate in Paris, October 13-18
- Modi-Xi Summit in TN, October 11-13
New Delhi: With the Indian and Chinese Army officers raising a toast, shaking hands and hugging each other on Tuesday at a border personnel meeting in Bum La, hosted by China on its side, the ground is now set for a crucial Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in mid-October in Tamil Nadu.
The October 1 meeting, marking the Chinese National Day, assumes significance as China has just supported Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. It is now headed to discuss trade, business and investments, particularly the rollout of 5-G by Huawei in India, amid Beijing’s ongoing trade war with the US.
Pakistan’s “all-weather” friend China supported Islamabad from August 5 to September 27. Beijing is bracing for greater stakes in the next few months as it explores fresh initiatives to boost trade with India. The Modi-Xi talks may also include Ladakh, Aksai Chin and Gilgit-Baltistan. With Pakistan having lost the territorial game against India, Beijing may now have to deal directly with New Delhi on these matters.
Although the formal meeting between Indian and Chinese Army officials is routine, held four times a year, its significance in the backdrop of recent developments is apparent. The Modi-Xi meeting will take place between October 11 and 13 and is likely to discuss matters of mutual and global importance. Its venue will be the historic coastal town of Mahabalipuram, in Tamil Nadu.
Interestingly, the Chinese President will host Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi on October 8, days ahead of his second informal Summit with Modi, although India has yet to formally announce the dates and the venue for the meeting.
Khan will visit China to meet the country’s top leadership and woo investors. He will attend the China-Pakistan Business Forum in Beijing on October 8, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. He is expected to ensure China’s continued support ahead of Xi’s visit to India and the crucial meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) scheduled to take place in Paris between October 13 and 18 to decide whether Pakistan would be blacklisted from receiving global funds in view of its failure to prevent money-laundering and flow of terror funds.
The first informal Summit between Modi and Xi was held in Wuhan, China, in April 2018 to “exchange views on overarching issues of bilateral and global importance.”
In Mahabalipuram, Modi will host Xi on October 11 and 13. Besides holding talks, they are likely to pay a visit to the ancient monuments in the coastal town, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
