Chinese envoy: New Delhi, Beijing should build on BRICS consensus
PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping charted a new course for peaceful bilateral relations while meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in China last month. Speaking in New Delhi, the Chinese envoy to India, Luo Zhaohui has stated that both countries should "start a new chapter in bilateral ties" on the basis of this consensus. Here's more about it.
The 9th BRICS summit in a nutshell
The 9th BRICS summit was held in Xiamen, China from 3-5 September 2017. This happened right after India and China diplomatically resolved the 75-day long Doklam standoff at the Sino-Indian border. Summit discussions focused on areas such as climate change, terrorism, and trade.
What did the summit mean for India and China?
Indian PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the summit; this was their first meeting after resolving the Doklam standoff. Both leaders were said to have a "constructive, forward-looking conversation" and vowed to "not let differences become disputes." Xi further conveyed that China would work with India, as per the Panchsheel Principles revolving around peaceful coexistence (1954).
What did Luo Zhaohui say?
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Luo said that both nations had made tremendous progress in cultural and economic ties. He indirectly referred to the Doklam standoff as an instance of "reigning negative sentiments." "Modi and Xi sent an important message through reaching a consensus to work out a new chapter of the bilateral relationship at the BRICS summit," he added.
The larger picture
The BRICS consensus serves as a solid foundation for peaceful Sino-Indian relations in the future. Through this, both countries seem to have re-affirmed that peaceful co-existence is the best way out in guarding their respective interests. However, many experts and policymakers point out that as emerging powers within a close vicinity of each other, India and China will conflict or compete rather than cooperate.
