Modi, Xi to discuss US protectionism

Beijing, April 23

China on Monday said President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss the threat of rising protectionism and the unprecedented changes in the world in the past 100 years at their summit in Wuhan this week and the world will hear “very positive voices”.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday announced that President Xi and PM Modi would hold an informal summit in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on April 27-28 to step up bilateral relations and discuss global issues of common concern.

Edit: Towards entente cordiale

During the meeting, the two leaders will discuss the changes that have taken place and which are unprecedented in the past 100 years to exchange views on the strategic overarching long-term issues concerning bilateral ties, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

This will bring positive influence to regional and world peace, stability and development and bring more benefits to the people of both countries, Lu said.

As to the background against which this meeting will be held, Lu said: “I believe you are also clear that the world is now faced with rampant unilateralism as well as the rising protectionism in the process of globalisation. All these new trends in the world have to be closely followed and debated.

“Against such backdrop, China and India have a lot to discuss. We are newly emerging markets as well as developing countries with big population. So we believe the two countries will continue to uphold the globalisation so that it is more inclusive. So we have a lot of shared interests, concerns and positions,” the spokesman said.

At Wuhan, the two leaders will “exchange views on overarching long-term strategic issues as well as the latest trends of the world so that the world will develop in a more stable way,” Lu said.

“I cannot make a prejudgement ahead of the meeting on what will actually be discussed at the Wuhan meeting. What I said is a general background. So it is sure that the two leaders will exchange views on these issues. But I believe you will see and hear very positive voices,” he said. — PTI

Sitharaman in China too

Beijing: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in China on Monday to attend a preparatory meeting related to upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Sitharaman is likely to meet a number of Chinese leaders. She will attend the SCO defence ministers’ meeting on Tuesday.