China sends top ministers to India’s Independence Day event in Beijing ahead of Modi’s possible SCO visit

The gesture by the Chinese government comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to China for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation later this month.

Two senior Chinese ministers attended India’s Independence Day reception in Beijing on Friday.

The gesture by the Chinese government comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to China for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation later this month.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Miao Deyu and Vice Minister Sun Haiyan of the International Department of the ruling Communist Party of China were the chief guests at a well-attended reception, held for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and over the year-long eastern Ladakh stand-off.

Sun congratulated India and said that the relations between the two countries are currently maintaining a momentum of improvement and development, the International Department of the Communist Party said in a press release.

China is willing to work with India to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance political mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation, and promote the healthy and stable development of relations, she said.

The Communist Party of China is willing to strengthen exchanges and dialogue with all political parties in India and play a positive role in improving and developing relations, she added.

In his address, Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat highlighted the importance of India-China relations.

“Our two peoples have played a significant role in shaping human history, and we have a significant responsibility to promote peace and development,” he said.

“There is a need for India and China to work together to realise the aspirations of 2.8 billion people. Amid global uncertainties, relations between India and China are a factor of stability and balance,” he said.

Rawat said it was important for the two countries to have a balance in relations – whether it is political, economic or security, based on shared principles of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.

Relations, he added, had witnessed “periods of great development and also of serious challenges”.

The presence of Vice Minister Sun at the reception assumed significance as earlier in the day, an international news agency reported that she had been detained for questioning by the authorities.

Her presence at the reception, however, indicated the report was false.

Earlier, Rawat hoisted the tricolour as the Indian Embassy here celebrated the 79th Independence Day at a colourful ceremony attended by a large number of the diaspora members.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation starting on August 31 in Tianjin.