India, China need to handle sensitive issues, Xi tells Modi at SCO meet in Astana

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Updated: Jun 11, 2017 21:44 IST

China and India should work together to address sensitive issues and help each other in meeting developmental goals, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

In his first meeting with the Chinese leader in eight months, Modi told Xi the two countries needed to “properly deal” with sensitive issues.

“China and India are two major countries and should focus on more cooperation alongside providing assistance to each other on developmental goals,” Chinese foreign ministry Hua Chunying quoted Xi as saying.

The two leaders met in Astana, Kazakhstan on the sidelines on the Shanghai Corporation Organisation summit.

Last eight months have tested ties.

China has repeatedly blocked New Delhi’s efforts to get Jaish chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist. It has also thwarted India’s bid to join nuclear suppliers group even as it overlooked New Delhi’s objections to press ahead with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC) that runs through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

Xi also said China and India should increase trade and investment cooperation to ensure that the two countries enjoyed more “early stage profits” from large-scale projects in infrastructure and industry.

He also made a case for the Bangladesh, China, India Myanmar corridor that is part of his ambitious multi-billion dollar One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative that aims to build a new Silk Route.

“The two sides should strengthen the complementarities of the development strategies and press ahead with the major cooperation projects such as energy and railways,” Hua quoted the President as saying.

India has kept away from the Silk Route push as its centrepiece is the CPEC, which New Delhi says challenges its sovereignty by lending legitimacy to Pakistan’s claim over PoK.

The world was undergoing a profound change. China and India should step up cooperation and also assist each other on developmental goals, Xi told Modi.

China attached great importance to its relationship with India. The two sides should communication and coordination closely on major international and regional affairs while maintaining “steady growth of bilateral relationship”, she said.

Xi also congratulated India on becoming a member of the SCO and expressed hope that two would work together to strengthen the Eurasian grouping.

Modi said the two countries enjoyed friendship and steady development of bilateral relationship would be conducive to peace and stability of the whole world, Hua said.