Xi, Modi to discuss US’ ‘protectionist’ trade policy, ‘unprecedented’ developments

Beijing :  China on Monday said the “protectionist” trade policy of the US and the “unprecedented” changes in the world order in the past 100 years will be discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at their two-day summit this week.

A day after the big announcement of Modi-Xi’s informal meet in China’s central city Wuhan on April 27-28, Beijing said the outcome of the meeting will be “positive”.

“During this meeting, the two leaders will discuss the changes that have taken place and which are unprecedented in the past 100 years and exchange views on the strategic, over-arching and long-term issues concerning our bilateral relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said here.

He was responding to a question if the leaders will discuss trade penalties by the US and other issues like the Korean peninsula crisis.

“The world is now faced with rampant unilateralism as well as the rising protectionism in the process of globalization. All these trends have been closely followed and debated.

“So against such backdrop, China and India have a lot to discuss. We are newly emerging markets as well as developing countries with big populations so we believe the two countries will continue to uphold the globalization so that it is more inclusive,” said Lu.

China is locked in an ongoing trade spat with the US, which has also threatened India with taxes if New Delhi did not lower import duties.

Modi and Xi will hold an informal summit meeting, which may well be a historic one and a defining moment in the history of Sino-Indian ties.

“So we have lot of shared interests, concerns and positions.” Lu said.

“They will discuss the latest trends of the world so there is a stable global development. I believe you will hear positive voices.

“The two countries are important forces in promoting the multipolar world and economic liberalization as well as ensuring regional and world’s peace, stability and development,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

“The two sides believe that the strategic and global significance of our relations have become more prominent and our common interests far outweigh our differences.”

Published : April 23, 2018, 15:26 IST

IANS