After he proposes India-Pak-China summit, China quietly amends ambassador's statement
China ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui
In his original statement, Luo Zhaohui had said the idea of an India-Pak-China summit was a 'suggestion of Indian friends'. That statement however was removed from the copy of his speech that was uploaded online
A day after the Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui proposed India, Pakistan, and China cooperation under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), there seems to have been some backtracking.
A copy of the Chinese ambassador's speech uploaded online says, "We hope that in the future China, India, Pakistan leaders' meeting could be held under the SCO framework."
But in his original speech — the one that everyone heard — Zhaohui had said, "Some Indian friends suggested that China, India and Pakistan may have some kind of trilateral cooperation under the SCO."
Whatever the reason for the amendment, many would say China may have suggested a trilateral summit to test the waters.
India and Pakistan participated as full members of the SCO at the Qingdao Summit. In August, India and Pakistan will be participating in SCO military exercises in Russia.
India reacted sharply to the statement made by the Chinese ambassador in New Delhi.
Calling it the ambassador's personal opinion, India said, "We have not received any such suggestion from the Chinese government ." India also said, "Matters related to India-Pakistan relations are purely bilateral in nature and have no scope for involvement of any third country."
China, a honest broker?
Experts believe China might be trying to play negotiator when it comes to India and Pakistan, an idea New Delhi has dismissed many times. China is deeply involved with Pakistan and with the CPEC — China-Pakistan Economic Corridor — passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, experts say China cannot be an honest broker in the region.
Changing speeches: Not for the first time
This is not for the first time such an an amendment has been made. The Chinese ambassador had suggested last year that China could rename the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor if India agreed to join it, but his remarks were expunged from the uploaded copy of his speech.
When the Chinese foreign ministry was asked why, it had nothing to say.
India and China have been trying to increase engagement between them.
In the last three months, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met twice. First at their informal summit in Wuhan, China and the then on the sidelines of the Qingdao summit. The two of them are likely to meet again on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa next month.
The Doklam incident last year had put a strain on India-China ties. During his speech on Monday, the Chinese ambassador had said, "We cannot stand another Doklam incident." And the two countries have recently agreed to work together on a project in Afghanistan.
Clearly, both the Asians giants understand that cooperation and not conflict is the way forward.