Xiamen: A day after BRICS Summit adopted strongly worded Declaration especially against terror menace and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to have a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping here tomorrow on the sidelines of the mega meet. Chinese officials today hinted about the possibilities of the much-awaited meeting when one of them said, “…as a host, China will arrange meetings with participating leaders”. Prime Minister Modi is in Xiamen to attend the annual summit of BRICS.
The Summit this year came close on the heels of a standoff between India and China in Doklam sector. On August 28, proving the war mongers wrong Indian foreign ministry has announced that both India and China have agreed for “expeditious disengagement of border personnel” at Doklam tri-junction. The 9th BRICS Summit this year has been held under the theme “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”. It is being presumed that Xiamen Declaration today naming Pakistan based Jem especially would make it difficult henceforth for China to stall India’s bid to ensure that the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee 1267 initiate action against the Jaish chief Maulana Masood Azhar. There is also no clarity so far on the timing of Modi-Xi Jinping meeting nor whether the vexed Doklam sector issue would figure in the talks.
The Chinese side, however, has defended the Xiamen Declaration and tried to suggest that it is more linked to violence and ground situation in Afghanistan. But it is a fact that China has for the first time allowed BRICS to make any reference to Jaish-e-Mohammad. Mr. Modi will leave for Myanmar tomorrow for a three-day state visit to Myanmar at the invitation of U Htin Kyaw, President of Myanmar. Significantly enough, this will be the Prime Minister’s first bilateral state visit to Myanmar even as Prime Minister during last three years has held several rounds of visits to other neighboring countries.
Mr. Modi had, however, visited Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and ninth East Asia Summit. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and even Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat had visited Myanmar recently. During the visit to Myanmar, official sources said, the Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of “mutual interest” and also call on President U Htin Kyaw.
