PM Modi will host Chinese leader Xi Jinping for an informal summit later this year. | Modi will also push for first bilateral talks with US President in over two years.
As per the spokesperson of Indian Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the year for an informal summit. Both leaders met several times over the last year in a bid to resolve ongoing tensions.
When Modi had met Xi in Wuhan, China in April 2018, the Chinese President had accepted the Indian Prime Minister’s invitation for a second meeting in India. The Spokesperson said, “The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting,”
- China is a long-term ally of Pakistan and has sided with India’s long-time foe on number of issues in the international lobby.
- Fears of war between the superpower neighbours were refuelled by a military standoff at the high-altitude Himalayan border in 2017
- PM Modi is also expected to push for a first bilateral meeting with U.S. President Trump in two years, during the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan in June,
The trade war between US and China has been ongoing for the past couple of months. Trump upped the ante in May when he hiked tariffs on almost $200 billion word of Chinese goods. Beijing responded saying it would hit back with its own higher duties.
India will try to ensure that the rift between US and China does not hinder its improved relations with both the countries.
Indo-US relations in the Trump-Modi era
On Tuesday, the US dropped India from a list where it monitors countries for currency manipulation. This came on the back of findings that there was no proof against Indian government for ‘persistent, one-sided intervention in the currency market’.
There has been a gradually improving relation between India and the US with close political and security ties. However, Trump has repeatedly accused India of having its high tariffs. Currently both sides are engaged in discussions to resolve a trade dispute.
U.S. might withdraw trade privileges that give India preferential duty-free imports of up to $5.6 billion a year. India and US bilateral trade which amounted to $126 billion in 2017 is much lower than its potential; as per analysts.
