On a three-day tour starting 12 August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be visiting India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The agenda for the trip is reportedly to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not join the anti-China lobby on the issue of the disputed South China Sea.
The meeting with EAM Sushma Swaraj is to prevent India from raising the issue, along with other countries, at the upcoming G20 summit in September.
The Hague judgement on China’s claim on the South China Sea did not go in the country’s favour and China subsequently refused to accept the ruling.
The Chinese may now have to worry about the United States and several other countries bringing up the issue at the G20 meet.
Beijing was also not thrilled by India’s response to the International Tribunal’s verdict, saying that the United Nations convention should be effectively implemented, and all the relevant parties should cooperate in the effort.
China does not want a discussion on the subject at G20, and does not want India to join any country which is seeking a discussion.
The verdict came weeks after China reportedly blocked India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) citing India’s position as a non-signatory country of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
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