China and India Set for Crucial Bilateral Talks During BRICS Summit in South Africa
In a significant development, China has announced that a high-stakes bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping is slated to take place in South Africa during the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit, scheduled from August 22nd to 24th. The BRICS consortium, encompassing Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is poised to host this pivotal gathering.
This much-anticipated rendezvous marks the first formal interaction between the two leaders since the commencement of the border standoff between their nations in May 2020. The aftermath of this standoff cast a shadow on the bilateral relationship, resulting in limited diplomatic exchanges over the past three years. An exception was a brief encounter between the leaders during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.
Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Chen Xiaodong, alluded to this forthcoming meeting during a press interaction in Pretoria. “I am confident that as two nations, we will have direct talks, direct meetings” at the summit, he remarked. While acknowledging the prevailing “tension” between the two countries, he underscored the presence of “many common interests.”
The scheduled interaction between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping assumes critical importance as it provides a platform to address the ongoing border tensions and other pertinent bilateral subjects. Moreover, it signifies China’s willingness to foster dialogue and engagement with India despite the existing strains.
The BRICS summit stands as a major event for the five participating nations, offering a forum to deliberate on economic collaboration, political cooperation, and global matters of consequence. The interaction between Modi and Xi Jinping is poised to be one of the summit’s most closely observed junctures.
Here are supplementary particulars about the upcoming meeting:
- The meeting is slated to unfold on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
- The exact date and time of the meeting remain undisclosed at present.
- A private setting is anticipated for this pivotal encounter.
- Although the meeting’s agenda awaits confirmation, the border issue and other bilateral concerns are likely to feature prominently.
- This rendezvous holds immense significance as it presents an opportunity for both nations to mend and enhance their diplomatic ties.