Indian PM Modi with Chinese President Xi in New Delhi, September 2014 Photo Narendra Modi/Wikimedia Commons
Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui has expressed support for a trilateral summit between China, India and Pakistan, as the regional countries navigate geopolitical and security challenges.
He called the idea as “constructive.”
The suggestion of a trilateral dialogue came to the fore on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which brings together several regional countries including India and Pakistan, the two nuclear-armed neighbors with a tense Kashmir conflict posing challenge to the regional security. According to some Indian media accounts, it was the ambassador who proposed the idea, while other quoted him as saying that it came from some Indian friends.
“If China-Russia-Mongolia trilateral is possible then why don’t we try working China-India-Pakistan out,” Zhaohui, said speaking at the Institute of Chinese Studies in New Delhi.
The envoy stressed that communication, cooperation, contacts and control could help promote strained relations between China and India. Beijing and New Delhi, two of the largest economies, have in recent weeks tried to address their lingering concerns over disputed border in the region Askai Chin.
“Now I want to share with you the fields of priority with #5Cs to promote #China-#India relations, namely #communication, #cooperation, #contacts, #coordination, and #control,” he tweeted.
A map showing China-India geography
Photo Credit: CIA Factbook
“China will continue to promote religious exchanges, arrange pilgrims by Indian Yatris to Kailash Manasarovar in China’s Tibet,” he added.
While underlining the importance of regional cooperation, also encouraged cultural exchange mechanism within South Asia in fields of movie, sports, tourism, museum, youth.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Wuhan to discuss bilateral issues and narrow down the differences between two Asian giants.
The two leaders later followed up that meeting with talks on the sidelines of SCO and decided that the second round of informal meeting be held in India next year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping had also had a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain. China and Pakistan have close longstanding ties and are building a multi-billion dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which will connect Xinjiang with the oil-rich Gulf through Pakistan’s Gwadar port.
New Delhi has been following its own regional priorities and helping Iran build Chabahar Port as part of efforts to compete with China’s expanding influence. India has refused to abide by U.S. sanctions against Iran and also objects to CPEC.
Islamabad has on several occasions invited New Delhi to be part of the massive CPEC project, which promises economic benefits for the entire region.
Afghanistan is another point of contention between India and Pakistan, Islamabad is considered key to the U.S. goal of stabilizing Afghanistan through an Afghan-led reconciliation process.
