| Event Title: | ISAS Closed Door Session |
| Topic: | India and China: Compulsions of Cooperation |
| Date/Time: | 26 April 2018 | 16:00 - 21:09 |
| Venue: | MEI Conference Room, Level 6, 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace |
| Speaker/s: | Dr S Jaishankar |
| Description: | The closed-door session with Dr S Jaishankar was held on 19 April 2018. Dr Jaishankar spoke about the upcoming Wuhan Summit scheduled to be held on (date) between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jin Ping. He said that the two countries were planning to hold a meeting for a while. However, the meeting was postponed when the Doklam incident took place in 2017. He was optimistic that the informal summit could help to reset relations between the two countries. Dr Jaishankar shared that India and China have a complex relationship since both are ancient civilisations and rising powers. He explored the history of Indo-Sino relations. Both countries have significantly influenced the other in areas of culture, arts and religion. There have been many instances when their bilateral relations were on an upward trajectory. However, the 1962 Sino-Indian War broke down their relations. There are now apprehensions on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from the Indian side due to sovereignty issues. India is concerned that a part of BRI may go through its territory. There are similar concerns about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as well. |