Belt and Road Forum kicks off in Beijing while neighbouring India boycotts the event
Monitoring Desk: Belt and Road Forum starts today in Beijing while neighbouring India boycotts the event stating that its sovereignty and territorial integrity is threatened by this biggest project connecting several continents.
According to Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency, India that was trying to isolate is archrival and neighbour Pakistan is now standing in a corner today when two-day “Belt and Road Forum” kicks off in Beijing without India but having attendance from every important country of the world while India and its smallest neighbour Bhutan are standing in a corner.
Chinese President Xi Jinping while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of “Belt and Road Road Forum” said that “One Belt and One Road” is “a project of the century” that will benefit everybody across the world.
Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
India believes that its sovereignty and territorial integrity is threatened by CPEC project therefore it will refrain from any activity directly or indirectly linked with “Belt and Road project”.
In a statement released by Indian Foreign Office late Saturday evening Indian says as:
“Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative. We are waiting for a positive response from the Chinese side”.
All G-8 and G-20 countries except Canada are attending the event. European Union is also not participating as a component but its member countries are present in Beijing.
Chinese President President Xi Jinping is hosting 29 heads of states at Yangqi Lake Resort in Beijing while his team is receiving ministerial delegations of another 28 countries those do not send their heads of state.
The Presidents or Prime Ministers of Argentina, Belarus, Cambodia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Fiji, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam have already reached Beijing
Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Myanmar, Romania, Nepal, New Zealand, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, Uganda and the UAE have sent their ministerial level delegations.
The United States, France, Japan and South Korea have sent representatives including their former prime ministers, politicians and advisers.
India is boycotting the event while confirming the fact that how much she is annoyed with the development of this region through China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
India and Bhutan are only two countries from South Asia those are not attending the event.
Indian Foreign ministry while announcing boycott stated that it (India) has serious concerns with CPEC project that goes through disputed areas.
India stands in isolation when One Belt One Road project popularly known as Obor would connect eastern, southern and southeastern Asia with Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe and as Africa through a network of railroads, highways and sea ports. The main Hub of this project will be Gwadar Deep Sea Port in Pakistan.
Two-day “Belt and Road Forum” will be addressed by world leaders in opening session and then the officials of 130 countries will participate in plenary sessions focusing on business, infrastructure development, trade opportunities, investments sources and enhancing cultural ties among participant stats.
