On Thursday, August 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke briefly and shook hands after a press conference of BRICS leaders in South Africa. The two leaders spoke on the sidelines of the BRICS summit and mutually agreed on expediating disengagement of troops and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday, shared details about PM Modi and President Jinping’s conversation and said that PM Modi underlined that preserving peace and tranquillity in border regions as well as adhering to and respecting the LAC are crucial for the normalisation of relations between India and China. “In this regard, the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation,” Kwatra said.
#WATCH | Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra says, "Prime Minister had interactions with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister highlighted India's concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC in the western sector of the… pic.twitter.com/37YoxHeuC4
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2023
This is the first such meeting since the 2020 standoff at the LAC where the two leaders spoke at length about addressing the issue. Although the two leaders had briefly discussed the need to “stabilize the LAC” on the sidelines of the Bali G-20 summit last year, this is the first such conversation since then.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has launched an attack against PM Modi questioning whether the disengagement talks will be on India’s terms or those of China. Moreover, amidst the suspense around the Chinese President’s visit to New Delhi for the G20 summit, the Congress asked “Will PM Modi host those who have gobbled up our territory, encroached on our territory” as per a report in India Today.
Congress hits out at PM Modi after meet with Xi Jinping#China #India #News #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/vmLNGh1GLo
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 25, 2023
While the Congress party asserts that China has gobbled up Indian territory along the LAC, they are apparently not just attacking PM Modi but also raising questions over the capabilities of the Indian armed forces. Congress’s claim that China has gobbled up India’s land near LAC comes despite the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) refuting such assertions time and again.
Congress and their China love
Interestingly, the Congress party is now desperately raking up the China issue in a bid to project the Modi government’s approach towards China as ‘weak’. However, the party and its prince Rahul Gandhi have on several occasions expressed their admiration for China openly.
In his controversial speech at Cambridge Judge Business School in March this year, Rahul Gandhi showered praises on China hailing it as an ‘aspiring superpower’ and ‘force of nature’ adding that China harbors ‘social harmony’. The Gandhi scion had also lauded China’s controversial Belt and Road initiative.
Last year as well in a conversation with The Print columnist Shruti Kapila at the Cambridge University event, Rahul Gandhi praised the Belt and Road Initiative and claimed that China wanted the countries around it to prosper.
During his recent tour in Ladakh, Rahul Gandhi claimed that China had grabbed India’s grazing land in Ladakh. However, Gandhi during his UK visit in May last year had asserted that “Ladakh is to China what Ukraine is to Russia.” The Congress leader back then had even urged foreign powers to intervene in India’s internal matters.
From receiving Chinese funds for the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation to signing an MoU with China; Hum Saath Saath Hain
Back in 2020, details about the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation’s (RGF) monetary operations emerged. OpIndia had previously published detailed pieces about the Chinese government’s financial contributions of more than Rs 1 crore to RGF between 2006 and afterward.
In 2008, during UPA1, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Congress party signed an agreement for the sharing of high-level information and collaboration. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”. Notably, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have served as trustees of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation since 2005, while Sonia Gandhi serves as the foundation’s chairperson.
It’s amusing to see how times change and even ‘partners’ turn hostile, even if just to score political brownie points. The Congress party had signed an MoU with the Chinese government, and Rahul Gandhi had secretly met Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui in 2017 during the Doklam standoff. He even secretly met Chinese ministers in September 2018 during his Kailash Mansarovar visit. The same party is now opposed to India hosting the Chinese President for the G20 Summit.
Further, PM Modi’s informal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was at the BRICS Summit, despite differences between the two countries, the nation heads are expected to meet and greet at international events.
G20 meeting in New Delhi
The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10 will be the conclusion of all G20 processes and discussions with ministers, senior officials, and civil society held during the year. According to the information available on G20’s website, at the conclusion of the New Delhi Summit, a G20 Leaders’ Declaration will be adopted, indicating the Leaders’ commitment to the goals discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group sessions.
The G20 Summit will be held in India, with the main event taking place in New Delhi on September 9-10. The summit is expected to be attended by 29 heads of state, as well as top officials from the European Union, and invited guest countries and 14 leaders of international organizations.
