Beijing
China’s Foreign Ministry declined to confirm whether PM Modi and President Xi Jinping will meet during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, set to begin from today. Spokesman Lin Jian stated, ‘We will keep you posted if anything comes up,’ when asked about a potential meeting between the two leaders.
Both Modi and Xi will attend the summit, where they will join discussions on various global issues. Ahead of the summit, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that Indian and Chinese negotiators have agreed on patrolling procedures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. However, there was no official response from Beijing regarding this agreement.
Relations between India and China have deteriorated since the violent clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020, marking a significant military conflict in decades. Last week, China confirmed Xi’s participation in the BRICS summit, emphasizing the need for collaboration among developing nations.
The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security.’ The original BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—recently welcomed new members including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry, indicated that Xi will engage in various meetings, including small-group discussions and the BRICS Plus Dialogue, while delivering key speeches on international cooperation and mutual interests among member nations. She emphasized China’s commitment to fostering steady BRICS cooperation and promoting global peace and development.
