New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for a two-day visit to participate in the BRICS Summit, returning to India for the first time in seven years as both countries look to strengthen engagement despite unresolved differences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Xi on Saturday evening. Discussions are expected to include ways to expand economic engagement, particularly in trade and investment.
Xi’s visit comes against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic contacts between India and China. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval recently held the Special Representative dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. At the same time, tensions linked to Chinese military activity along the Arunachal Pradesh sector remain a concern for New Delhi.
The Chinese president has travelled with a senior delegation that includes government officials as well as prominent business representatives. Among those accompanying him are Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and director of the CPC Central Committee General Office, and Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau and serves as China’s foreign minister.
Beijing has described the Modi-Xi engagement as part of a continuing high-level dialogue between the two countries. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the two leaders are meeting for the third consecutive year, following their interactions in Kazan and Tianjin.
Mao said China intends to follow the broader strategic direction set by the two leaders and approach bilateral relations with a long-term perspective. She also stressed the importance of greater communication and cooperation while managing differences between the two sides.
The latest visit is therefore being closely watched for indications of how India and China intend to balance areas of cooperation with continuing strategic and security concerns.
