Hangzou, China: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed to the Chinese President Xi Jinping his country’s concerns over alleged terrorism emanating from Pakistan.In his 35-minute meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit here, Modi conveyed to him that New Delhi and Beijing “will have to be sensitive to each other’s strategic interests”.
“He (Modi) said it is of paramount importance that both countries respect each other’s aspirations, concerns and strategic interests,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told Indian journalists here, reports the IANS.
Asked whether terrorism was discussed, Swarup said: “It was raised.”Modi also told President Xi that India had serious concerns about the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
This was his eighth meeting with Xi as prime minister.“China is willing to work with India to maintain their hard-won sound relations and further advance their cooperation,” President Xi told Modi.
Modi told Xi that “our response to terrorism must not be motivated by political consideration” — an apparent reference to Pakistan, India’s arch rival and China’s all-weather friend.
Modi also raised the issue of terrorism in his meeting with BRICS leaders and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the sidelines of G20.
“In a very hard-hitting intervention, he (Modi) said terrorists in South Asia or anywhere for that matter do not own banks or weapons factories,” Swarup quoted the Indian leader as saying.
Modi told Turnbull: “Our neighbourhood, in particular, is suffering from destabilisation effects of terrorism.”“Clearly, someone funds and arms them, and BRICS must intensify joint efforts not just to fight terror but to coordinate actions to isolate those who are supporters and sponsors of terror,” he said.
Modi said terrorism was the primary source of instability and the biggest threat to societies.Swarup refused to divulge if the issue of India’s membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group had figured in the meeting with Xi.
“If you read between the lines when we are talking about our strategic interests, concerns and aspirations, it is not that China is unaware of our strategic interests, concerns or aspirations or that we are unaware of theirs. It is something that both sides are aware of,” Swarup said.
Earlier in June, China had blocked India’s entry into the nuclear trade grouping, citing its non-signatory status to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Reuters adds: The global economy is being threatened by rising protectionism and risks of high leverage are accumulating, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the opening ofthe two-day summit of leaders from G20 nations.
His warning on Sunday followed bilateral talks with Barack Obama that the US president described as “extremely productive”, but which failed to bring the two sides closer on thorny topics such as tensions in the South China Sea.
The global economy is “at a crucial juncture”, Xi said, hemmed in by sluggish demand, financial market volatility and feeble trade and investment.“Growth drivers from the previous round of technological progress are gradually fading, while a new round of technological and industrial revolution has yet to gain momentum.
“Other leaders attending the summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou include Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Shinzo Abe, Britain’s Theresa May, Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Francois Hollande and India’s Narendra Modi.
Security was extremely tight in Hangzhou, with parts of the city of 9 million people turned into a virtual ghost town as China seeks to ensure that the G20 summit is incident-free.Obama, who arrived on Saturday, held talks with Xi that ran late into the night.
He urged Beijing to uphold its legal obligations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, and stressed US commitments to its regional allies.Xi said China would continue to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. (Monitoring Report)
