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Narendra Modi Starts Trip to China With a Burst of Sightseeing Narendra Modi Starts Trip to China With a Burst of Sightseeing
(9 days later)
HONG KONG — Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India pressed President Xi Jinping of China on border disputes and a yawning trade deficit on Thursday, after Mr. Modi started a trip to China with a burst of sightseeing intended to highlight the ancient ties between the two neighbors. HONG KONG — Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India pressed President Xi Jinping of China on border disputes and a yawning trade deficit on Thursday, after Mr. Modi started a trip to China with a burst of sightseeing intended to highlight the ancient ties between the two neighbors.
China and India have contended for decades over territory and, increasingly, influence across South Asia. But on his first visit to China as prime minister, Mr. Modi has also focused on attracting Chinese investment and consumers, and both governments have, for now, lowered the volume of their disagreements.China and India have contended for decades over territory and, increasingly, influence across South Asia. But on his first visit to China as prime minister, Mr. Modi has also focused on attracting Chinese investment and consumers, and both governments have, for now, lowered the volume of their disagreements.
In the talks between Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi in Xi’an, a city in northwest China, “there was a lot of discussion on strengthening trust and increasing convergence,” the Indian foreign secretary, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, told NDTV, an Indian news channel. But Mr. Modi also raised the festering boundary disputes and China’s plans to build a highway in a part of Kashmir that is administered by Pakistan but also claimed by India, Mr. Jaishankar said.In the talks between Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi in Xi’an, a city in northwest China, “there was a lot of discussion on strengthening trust and increasing convergence,” the Indian foreign secretary, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, told NDTV, an Indian news channel. But Mr. Modi also raised the festering boundary disputes and China’s plans to build a highway in a part of Kashmir that is administered by Pakistan but also claimed by India, Mr. Jaishankar said.
Despite the contentious issues discussed by Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi, Mr. Jaishankar said that “the atmosphere was very comfortable.”Despite the contentious issues discussed by Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi, Mr. Jaishankar said that “the atmosphere was very comfortable.”
Mr. Xi endorsed deeper economic ties, according to a report of his meeting with Mr. Modi published by Xinhua, China’s main state-run news agency. China and India should “achieve a higher level of complementarity and mutuality between our two big economies and continue becoming twin engines of economic growth for the region and the world,” Mr. Xi told Mr. Modi, according to Xinhua.Mr. Xi endorsed deeper economic ties, according to a report of his meeting with Mr. Modi published by Xinhua, China’s main state-run news agency. China and India should “achieve a higher level of complementarity and mutuality between our two big economies and continue becoming twin engines of economic growth for the region and the world,” Mr. Xi told Mr. Modi, according to Xinhua.
Mr. Xi mentioned potential investment in Indian rail lines and industrial parks, two areas where the Chinese government has been eager to establish firmer footholds for Chinese companies.Mr. Xi mentioned potential investment in Indian rail lines and industrial parks, two areas where the Chinese government has been eager to establish firmer footholds for Chinese companies.
Mr. Xi said that he and Mr. Modi “must strive together to enhance mutual trust between our two countries, keep disputes and problems under good control, and avoid upheavals in broader relations between our two countries,” Xinhua reported.Mr. Xi said that he and Mr. Modi “must strive together to enhance mutual trust between our two countries, keep disputes and problems under good control, and avoid upheavals in broader relations between our two countries,” Xinhua reported.
China claims more than 34,000 square miles of Arunachal Pradesh, an area almost as large as Indiana, in northeast India. And India maintains that China has illegally occupied nearly 15,000 square miles of northern Jammu and Kashmir, called the Aksai Chin region, which was at the heart of a brief border war in 1962.China claims more than 34,000 square miles of Arunachal Pradesh, an area almost as large as Indiana, in northeast India. And India maintains that China has illegally occupied nearly 15,000 square miles of northern Jammu and Kashmir, called the Aksai Chin region, which was at the heart of a brief border war in 1962.
Kiren Rijiju, India’s junior minister for home affairs and a native of Arunachal Pradesh, said India hoped to revive regular confidence-building meetings with China on the border issues, which were abandoned in recent years.Kiren Rijiju, India’s junior minister for home affairs and a native of Arunachal Pradesh, said India hoped to revive regular confidence-building meetings with China on the border issues, which were abandoned in recent years.
“We have historical baggage with us, and we don’t want to carry this baggage forever,” he said, noting that Mr. Modi had made progress toward setting aside other long-simmering border disputes.“We have historical baggage with us, and we don’t want to carry this baggage forever,” he said, noting that Mr. Modi had made progress toward setting aside other long-simmering border disputes.
“We have settled the dispute with Bangladesh,” he said in an interview in New Delhi. “We have almost settled with Myanmar. We don’t have issues with Nepal.“We have settled the dispute with Bangladesh,” he said in an interview in New Delhi. “We have almost settled with Myanmar. We don’t have issues with Nepal.
“The sooner we settle these boundary disputes, the better.”“The sooner we settle these boundary disputes, the better.”
When Mr. Xi visited India in September, his talks with Mr. Modi were interrupted by renewed military tensions after thousands of Indian troops mobilized in Kashmir, facing Chinese troops. India has also long been a rival of Pakistan, which turns to China for economic and political backing. Mr. Xi visited Pakistan in April, when the Chinese government and companies pledged to build power generation and other infrastructure projects worth $46 billion.When Mr. Xi visited India in September, his talks with Mr. Modi were interrupted by renewed military tensions after thousands of Indian troops mobilized in Kashmir, facing Chinese troops. India has also long been a rival of Pakistan, which turns to China for economic and political backing. Mr. Xi visited Pakistan in April, when the Chinese government and companies pledged to build power generation and other infrastructure projects worth $46 billion.
But Mr. Modi’s administration hopes that India can also draw on Chinese capital, investment and consumers to bolster economic growth, build faster railway lines and expand other infrastructure, and a set of agreements will be unveiled when Mr. Modi holds talks in Beijing on Friday. Last year, the value of trade between China and India grew to $70.6 billion, but the Indian deficit was nearly $38 billion, according to Chinese customs statistics.But Mr. Modi’s administration hopes that India can also draw on Chinese capital, investment and consumers to bolster economic growth, build faster railway lines and expand other infrastructure, and a set of agreements will be unveiled when Mr. Modi holds talks in Beijing on Friday. Last year, the value of trade between China and India grew to $70.6 billion, but the Indian deficit was nearly $38 billion, according to Chinese customs statistics.
After arriving on Thursday morning in the ancient city of Xi’an, Mr. Modi visited the Terracotta Army museum, where thousands of lifelike ceramic soldiers guard the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who died more than 2,200 years ago. Trailed by photographers, Mr. Modi, in dark glasses, wandered among the rows of life-size soldiers without cracking a smile, tough-guy imagery that was met with delight from many of his admirers back home.After arriving on Thursday morning in the ancient city of Xi’an, Mr. Modi visited the Terracotta Army museum, where thousands of lifelike ceramic soldiers guard the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who died more than 2,200 years ago. Trailed by photographers, Mr. Modi, in dark glasses, wandered among the rows of life-size soldiers without cracking a smile, tough-guy imagery that was met with delight from many of his admirers back home.
After that, Mr. Modi viewed the Daxingshan Buddhist temple, where, 13 centuries ago, monks from India translated scriptures into Chinese.After that, Mr. Modi viewed the Daxingshan Buddhist temple, where, 13 centuries ago, monks from India translated scriptures into Chinese.
After their talks in Xi’an, Mr. Xi accompanied Mr. Modi to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, where a seventh-century monk stored Buddhist texts and other relics he had gathered after traveling to what is now India. Later in the day, Mr. Modi took part in an extravagant welcome ceremony inspired by the pageantry of the Tang dynasty of more than 11 centuries ago, when Xi’an was a prosperous, cosmopolitan capital of the empire.After their talks in Xi’an, Mr. Xi accompanied Mr. Modi to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, where a seventh-century monk stored Buddhist texts and other relics he had gathered after traveling to what is now India. Later in the day, Mr. Modi took part in an extravagant welcome ceremony inspired by the pageantry of the Tang dynasty of more than 11 centuries ago, when Xi’an was a prosperous, cosmopolitan capital of the empire.
Analysts said the displays of cultural kinship reflected an important element in relations between India and China. Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi are charismatic, nationalist figures who cast themselves as custodians of national virtues rooted in the ancient past, and both have tried to use that bond with the past to project, and defend, their priorities.Analysts said the displays of cultural kinship reflected an important element in relations between India and China. Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi are charismatic, nationalist figures who cast themselves as custodians of national virtues rooted in the ancient past, and both have tried to use that bond with the past to project, and defend, their priorities.
Mr. Xi has taken up the imagery of an ancient Silk Road binding China to its neighbors, and Mr. Modi has promoted Project Mausam, a vision of trade ties across the Indian Ocean that draws on ancient maritime routes.Mr. Xi has taken up the imagery of an ancient Silk Road binding China to its neighbors, and Mr. Modi has promoted Project Mausam, a vision of trade ties across the Indian Ocean that draws on ancient maritime routes.
Mr. Modi’s cultural diplomacy has a “dual aspect,” said Tanvi Madan, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of its India Project.Mr. Modi’s cultural diplomacy has a “dual aspect,” said Tanvi Madan, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of its India Project.
“One is to actually establish another link,” Ms. Madan said, “but the other is to subtly point out that India is also an old civilization, and therefore not in any way inferior, and because it’s an old civilization as well, deserving of respect.”“One is to actually establish another link,” Ms. Madan said, “but the other is to subtly point out that India is also an old civilization, and therefore not in any way inferior, and because it’s an old civilization as well, deserving of respect.”