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China has said the upcoming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping will aim at strengthening ties between the two BRICS members.
“President Xi Jinping will visit India soon, and it will definitely enhance the bilateral political mutual trust, establish a closer partnership for development,” said China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao in Beijing.
China has said it will continue discussions with the Narendra Modi government on Indian participation in the Silk Road economic belt project, that could bind China and India to resource-rich Central Asia, a trans-Eurasian project spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea.
The previous Indian government had already given its assent to Beijing’s touted plans that involved the ancient trade route, which linked Europe with Central Asia and China.
The Chinese leadership has sent strong signals to assert the seriousness of this revival project, with the Chinese President inking 38 agreements during a Central Asia tour last year where he said a strategic partnership has been established creating a Silk Road economic belt that will boost trade and cooperation through the region.
In Germany earlier this year, Xi asked the European nation to join the Silk Road project that aims to better connect the Asian and European markets.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said in November last year that its BRICS partners India and Russia can play a major role in building the Silk Route Economic Corridor and Asia-European Continental Bridge.
Xi’s 17-18 September trip to New Delhi would also aim to boost investment and trade between the two countries, including a massive push in Chinese investment in Indian infrastructure.
An Indian daily, Times of India report quoted China’s consul general in Mumbai, Liu Youfa, as saying last week that China is looking to invest up to $50 billion in the modernisation of India’s railways.
A Reuters report on Sunday said Beijing is looking to invest another $50 billion in building India’s ports, roads and a project to link rivers.
“India has a strong, real desire to increase its cooperation with China and other countries to perfect and develop its rail system, and has concrete cooperation ideas,” said Jianchao.
The two nations have set a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2015.
“If the two countries strengthen cooperation to achieve peaceful, cooperative and inclusive development, they will benefit the 2.5 billion Chinese people and Indian people as well as Asia and the world,” Assistan Foreign Minister Jianchao told reporters.
TBP
