Within days of the second India-China “informal summit”, Chinese President Xi Jinping had shared with Prime Minister his vision for trilateral ties among Beijing, New Delhi, and Islamabad.
In-depth communication In Chennai, President Xi Jinping had in-depth communication on the regional situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and encouraged all parties concerned to solve the current issues through dialogue.”
- President Xi Jinping stressed the Chinese side sincerely expects sound China-India relations, China-Pakistan relations, and India-Pakistan relations, and expects to see all sides work together to promote regional peace and stability and achieve common development and prosperity.
- China’s respective relations with India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries, with respective unique histories and characteristics, can run in parallel and develop together, neither targeting any third party nor being influenced by a third party.
Four ‘Cs’ of Chennai summit
- The Chinese Foreign Minister stressed that the Chinese President had elaborated on enhancing the “China-India Plus” formulation, which could be gradually expanded to cover other countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa on the basis of the existing “China-India-Afghanistan” cooperation.
- He added that China had embarked on a new “neighborhood diplomacy” focusing on “long-term development of relations” based on a historical, strategic and realistic perspective.
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- Prudence demands that the three ‘Cs’ of the relationship—competition, cooperation, and conflict—be managed, so as not to affect China’s growth as an economic and military power.
- China wants to ensure that the fourth ‘C’—containment—is kept at bay.
- It does not want India to become a formal part of the US-led system which is now gearing itself to slow down, if not block China’s economic and military growth.
- It knows well that the US-led system in Asia will only have heft and credibility if India participates in it.
- So far, New Delhi has insisted that it will maintain a posture of strategic autonomy.
