Chinese Defence Minister General Li Shangfu will be on a two-day visit to India for the Defence Ministers’ track of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held on April 27-28. During his maiden visit to India, Li is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, ABP Live has learnt.
Li, who has been sanctioned by the US for buying arms from Russia, was appointed as the Defence Minister by Beijing last month succeeding Wei Fenghe. This is the first time a Chinese Defence Minister will be setting foot in India after the June 2020 Galwan clash between Indian and Chinese troops.
The visit is expected to mark a gradual drawing down of troops by both sides that are currently standing in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh sector, official sources told ABP Live.
The sources also said China has given indications that it wants to reduce the tension levels soaring across the LAC even as Beijing plans to put its military’s focus on the Taiwan Straits as acrimony with the US increases.
Singh is likely to meet Li on the sidelines of the SCO meeting in which both sides are expected to discuss the sanctity of border protocols and maintenance of border patrolling points.
A smoothening of ties is also expected to pave the way for the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the SCO Summit, which is likely to take place in July.
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang already visited India last month for the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and he will be coming again next month for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that is taking place on May 4-5 in Goa.
During the visit, Qin and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met separately on the margins of the G20 meet where he was told that India and China ties have become “abnormal” and there are “real problems” facing the ties.
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Li was extended an invitation by India, which is the current chair of the SCO, earlier this month after he took over as the Defence Minister of China. It appears that the Chinese have confirmed his presence at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting only recently.
The sources said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has also played a key role in pushing India and China to come closer to a resolution. New Delhi is not keen on “shoving away China too much” at a time when Moscow and Beijing are aiming to enhance their “no limits” partnership announced in February 2022 days before Putin declared war on Ukraine.
After assuming charge, Li undertook his official foreign trip to Russia where he was able to meet President Vladimir Putin apart from his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu and other senior Kremlin officials.
During his visit to Russia, both sides planned to enhance their military-technical cooperation and also conduct more joint military drills.
Li’s visit also comes in the backdrop of the 18th Corps Commander-level talks between India and China that began Sunday aiming to reduce tensions and disengage troops at the LAC. Both sides have been engaged in a bitter military standoff since April 2020, which has resulted in a breakdown of bilateral relations between New Delhi and Beijing.
Apart from military talks, Beijing and New Delhi have been holding a series of diplomatic dialogues as well in an effort to resuscitate life in the bilateral relationship. Despite rising tensions, two-way trade between India and China have touched record levels.