TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China on Friday said India’s likely absence at the second Belt and Road forum next week should not mar their ties and their differences should not turn into a dispute.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the event to be held from April 25 to April 27, China’s top diplomat and Foreign Minister Wang said New Delhi and Beijing were readying to hold a Wuhan-like summit between the top leaders of the country.
India for the second time will skip China’s event of the year in protest against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — the artery of the Belt and Road project – that cuts through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
In 2017, India had boycotted the launch of the Belt and Road forum in Beijing in protest against the CPEC. New Delhi then had said that “no country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
This year too, New Delhi will likely skip China’s biggest event which will be attended by leaders or heads of 37 countries, including Pakistan and Nepal, and representatives from over 150 nations.
