China on Tuesday said its “doors will always remain open” for India’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), despite New Delhi’s decision not to participate in a two-day brainstorming forum held in Beijing to advance the transnational connectivity project.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in her daily press briefing: “China has welcomed the participation of India in the Belt and Road project. Our answer is clear. Doors will always remain open. We will always welcome the participation from the Indian side.”
However, Ms. Hua took exception to the statement made on Saturday by the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, seeking a “meaningful dialogue” with Beijing on the BRI. “Over the past four years since the project was initiated, we have been holding the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits,” she observed.
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“I do not know what the spokesperson [of the MEA was] trying to say. What kind of dialogue is a meaningful dialogue? What kind of a positive attitude the spokesman wants China to have?” In New Delhi, Gopal Baglay had said: “Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, One Belt, One Road, which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side.”
‘Forum a success’
In her rebuttal, Ms. Hua highlighted the wide representation by the “international community”, which included top leaders of 29 countries, as a marker for the legitimacy of the two-day forum. “I think our ideas and actions are there for all to see. You can see the response of the international community towards this forum.”
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Ms. Hua said the forum was a success. “It was a successful, productive and fruitful event,” which was in line with trends of the time and in tune with the common interest of people, she observed.
Referring specifically to New Delhi’s objection that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infringed India’s sovereignty as it passed through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Ms. Hua said: “The CPEC is not about the conflict with various sides and will not affect China’s position on the Kashmir issue.”
Indian interests
Meanwhile, Chinese media reported that India’s interests would be better served if it sheds a zero sum mentality and takes the cue from Sino-US relations, to develop “all-round” ties with China.
“If India sees itself as a big power, it should get accustomed to the many divergences with China, and try to manage these divergences with China. Big country diplomacy is mostly all-round. It is almost impossible that two big countries can reach agreements on all things. This can be proved by the many differences between China and the U.S. But China and the U.S. have maintained smooth bilateral relations, from which New Delhi can learn,” stated an article in Global Times .