China gives yet another embarrassing blow to India
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BEIJING - China said on Monday the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) doesn’t “involve territorial disputes” and is transparent, dismissing New Delhi’s concerns that part of the connectivity project violates India’s sovereignty as it passes through Azad Kashmir.
India is likely to be a high-profile absentee at the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which Beijing has touted to be the biggest event of the year for China.
India has consistently kept away from the BRI – a massive project launched by President Xi Jinping to connect China with Asia and Europe – because the CPEC passes through Azad Kashmir.
The BRI doesn’t respect India’s “core concerns” of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Indian envoy to China Vikram Mistri recently told state media.
China clearly doesn’t make much of India’s concerns.
“As for the Indian comments on not participating in the BRI for various reasons, I’d like to say that the BRI is an open and inclusive economic cooperation initiative.
It does not involve territorial and maritime disputes,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at the regular ministry briefing on Monday.
