PM Narendra Modi departs for India from #Qingdao, China. He participated in annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation O… https://t.co/Y53geKdc04 — ANI (@ANI) 1528623697000 QINGDAO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for home after wrapping up his two-day visit to China during which he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit and held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings, including with President Xi Jinping.It is for the first time the Indian prime minister attended the SCO summit after India along with Pakistan became full-fledged members of the grouping, jointly dominated by China and Russia, which has been increasingly seen as a counter to NATO On the sidelines of the summit, Modi met President Xi during which they agreed to hold the next informal summit in India next year besides resolving to continue efforts to ensure peace and tranquility along the border.The Prime Minister also held bilateral talks with leaders from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.He also shook hands with Pakistan President Manmoon Hussain and exchanged pleasantaries.In his address at the plenary session of the 18th SCO summit here, Modi called for respect for sovereignty, economic growth, connectivity and unity among the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).He also coined an acronym 'SECURE' which he explained: 'S' for security for citizens, 'E' for economic development, 'C' for connectivity in the region, 'U' for unity, 'R' for respect of sovereignty and integrity, 'E' for environment protection.The SCO currently has eight member countries which represents around 42 per cent of the world's population and 20 per cent of the global GDP.The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year.<doc-sep>Later this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to China for the second time in just over a month — for the June 9 and 10 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the port city of Qingdao. Besides formalising the entry of India as a full member of the China and Russia-led Eurasian security grouping, Modi will have his second bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in just over a month, following his April 28 and 29 “informal” summit in Wuhan. In one sense, the significance of Modi’s attendance at the SCO summit lies essentially just in his being there — and the symbolism of his being on stage flanked by Xi, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and leaders of the other SCO members including Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, besides heads of state from observer countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Mongolia. This is part of PM Modi’s emphasis on “strategic autonomy” — a balancing act as he pushes closer security ties with the US, Japan and many of China’s neighbours, even as he mends fences with China. This balancing was apparent in Modi’s keenly followed keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last week. “No other relationship of India has as many layers as our relations with China,” he said. “We are the world’s two most populous countries and among the fastest growing major economies. Our cooperation is expanding. Trade is growing. And, we have displayed maturity and wisdom in managing issues and ensuring a peaceful border.” China promptly welcomed his comments. Yet, the overall tone of his speech was far from being entirely optimistic on relations with China. In fact, Modi’s outlining of his “Indo-Pacific” vision was more than clear on India’s discomfort with China’s muscle-flexing, both militarily and economically. As Modi put it, “a common rules-based order for the region… must equally apply to all individually as well as to the global commons”. “Such an order must believe in sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as equality of all nations, irrespective of size and strength. These rules and norms should be based on the consent of all, not on the power of the few. This must be based on faith in dialogue and not dependence on force. It also means that when nations make international commitments, they must uphold them.” Given the regional focus on China’s island-building and militarisation in the disputed South China Sea, the target of his message was evident. Modi also said connectivity initiatives “must be based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, consultation, good governance, transparency, viability and sustainability” and “must empower nations, not place them under impossible debt burden.” Again, the target was apparent — China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Herein lies India’s dilemma as it continues its balancing this week at the SCO. The summit’s members are expected to strongly endorse China’s BRI. As foreign minister Wang Yi said last week, “The Qingdao summit will lay out new plans to enhance the synergy of development strategies of member states, especially promoting the construction of the Belt and Road to lift regional economic cooperation.” India is expected to be the only country in the Qingdao declaration to not endorse the BRI, as was the case at the recent SCO foreign ministers meet where the final statement awkwardly named the ministers of all countries, barring India, in the part of the statement that named the BRI. Still, India believes it stands to gain from its membership in a body that provides another platform to keep channels open and ties stable with China and Russia. The security-focused SCO is also likely to issue a declaration in Qingdao on combating terrorism, which India would welcome, particularly if fellow new member Pakistan faces some additional pressure in cracking down on terror outfits on its soil — a source of consternation not just to India but to other SCO members including China and Russia, and observers such as Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also read: World Environment Day: Why plastic is a more serious threat than atom bomb<doc-sep>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in Qingdao, China, to attend the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The issues of discussion at the summit will range from pressing global issues, including future of Iran nuclear deal, impact of US sanctions on Russia and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday soon after his arrival in Qingdao. It is Modi’s second visit to China in little over five weeks. He was in the Chinese city of Wuhan on April 27 and 28 to attend an informal summit with Jinping. Here are the highlights: 9.00pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states, witnessed a special event by Chinese artists at the International Conference Centre in Qingdao on the sidelines of the annual two-day SCO summit. 8.25pm: New people-to-people mechanism will be set up. On Indian side, it will be headed by the external affairs minister and on the Chinese side, it will be headed by the state council and foreign minister Wang Yi. The first meeting of this mechanism will be held this year: Vijay Gokhale, foreign secretary, in Qingdao. 8.20pm: It was a substantive meeting, President Xi Jinping began by making positive assessment of Wuhan summit.He described it as ‘a new starting point’ in our bilateral relations. PM described it as ‘milestone in our relations’: Vijay Gokhale, foreign secretary on bilateral meeting between Modi and Jinping. 7.50pm: One of the important outcomes of today’s meeting was the Chinese side conveyed that they accepted PM’s invitation to President Xi Jinping to have a similar informal summit in India in 2019: Vijay Gokhale, foreign secretary. 7.40pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in Qingdao, China. 7.30pm: Met this year’s SCO host, President Xi Jinping this evening. We had detailed discussions on bilateral and global issues. Our talks will add further vigour to the India-China friendship, tweeted PM Modi. 5.35pm: Following PM @narendramodi meeting with Chinese President Xi, two MoUs were signed - Sharing hydrological information of Brahmaputra river by China to India& amendment of Protocol on phytosanitary requirements for exporting rice from India to China to include non-Basmati rice pic.twitter.com/a9dg0Lu4pJ — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 9, 2018 4.50pm: PM Narendra Modi met President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and held a bilateral meeting with him on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China’s Qingdao. 4.45pm: India and China signed agreements in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and President of China Xi Jinping in Qingdao. 4.25pm: Modi participated in delegation-level talks with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, reports ANI News agency. 3.55pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Qingdao on the sidelines of SCO Summit. Modi said that strong and stable relations between India and China can inspire a stable and peaceful world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Qingdao. 3.30pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met SCO general secretary Rashid Alimov. Alimov told Modi that India is contributing greatly to the organisation since it became a full member of SCO in 2017.<doc-sep>CHENNAI: Emphasising on the need for a "hotline" between the heads of India and China to sort out bilateral issues, particularly the standoff along the border, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s two-day visit to that country for informal talks with his counterpart would benefit India immensely.Recently, the two countries had decided to activate a direct hotline between their respective military headquarters, at the level of Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs).“We should definitely have a hotline between China and India that will reduce the time consuming in reaching the empowered decision makers when there is a crisis,” said the minister hinting that the recent standoff between the armies of the two countries at Dohlam.Sitharaman was in Chennai to inaugurate a two-day conference on the ‘Trends and transformations in China’s geopolitics, strategy, society and business’ jointly organised by the Chennai Centre for China Studies and National Maritime Foundation – Tamil Nadu.On the informal meet between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi in Wuhan, she said the Chinese leadership, for the first time, had agreed to meet a leader of another country outside Beijing.“The meeting will immensely benefit the relationship between India and China in a long term, though not immediately,” she said and added that the PM had personal level relationship with leaders, particularly the presidents of China and Russia. He made a vigorous engagement with the leaders of the neighbouring country for the benefit of the country, she added.<doc-sep>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to China for the annual meeting of the Council of Heads of States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The SCO Summit 2018 is currently underway in Qingdao, China. During the summit, India signed various pacts and agreements with the member countries including host nation China. Prime Minister Modi held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. Here's what has happened so far President Xi Jinping has suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that China and India should set up a new bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2020. According to data of the Chinese General Administration of Customs, India-China bilateral trade reached USD 84.44 billion last year. The bilateral trade in 2017 rose by 18.63 per cent year-on-year to reach USD 84.44 billion. New Delhi and Beijing had earlier set a bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2015. An agreement was signed between China's General Administration of Customs and India's Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on Phytosanitary requirements for exporting rice from India to China. The 2006 Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Exporting Rice from India to China has been amended to include the export of non-Basmati varieties of rice from India. At present, India can only export Basmati rice to China. India and China signed bilateral agreement on continuing the sharing of hydrological data on the Brahmaputra river - which China stopped last year. In 2017, China had refused to share information on the movement, distribution and quality of water for the Brahmaputra river without which India couldn't prepare for the massive floods that hit the Indian region. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale today said that China is looking at enhancing agricultural exports from India including non-Basmati rice and sugar. China has also agreed to encourage India's pharmaceutical companies to register for high quality pharma products in its market. This is an important development as India has been pressing for greater pharma exports into China. Prime Minister Modi invited the Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev to join the International Solar Alliance- an initiative announced in 2015 whose primary objective is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Prime Minister Modi called for respect for sovereignty, economic growth, connectivity and unity among the members of the SCO. The Prime Minister coined an acronym 'SECURE' which he explained: S' for security for citizens, E' for economic development, C' for connectivity in the region, U' for unity, R' for respect of sovereignty and integrity, E' for environment protection. PM Modi talked about the importance of linking the region with transport corridors and said connectivity does not only mean geographical link but a way to ensure people-to-people contact. "India welcomes any such project which is inclusive, sustainable and transparent. And which respects member states' sovereignty and territorial integrity," Modi said in a veiled dig at China's One Belt One Road project. Prime Minister Modi also met Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain after a press conference by the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet. Modi and Hussain were among the leaders who attended the media briefing after culmination of the 18th SCO summit where India and Pakistan participated as full-fledged members. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to give full play to the role of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group to facilitate peace and reconstruction in war-torn Afghanistan. He said that the SCO members need to build a powerful engine to achieve common development. China will set up a 30-billion-yuan (USD 4.7 billion) equivalent special lending facility within the framework of the SCO Inter-bank Consortium. In the next three years, China will provide 3,000 training opportunities of human resources development for SCO member states to enhance public understanding of and support for the SCO family. The SCO currently has eight member countries - China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan - which represents around 42 per cent of the world's population and 20 per cent of the global GDP. (With inputs from PTI)