China says won’t force India to accept Belt and Road initiative

Wuhan, China: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping inside a house boat, in Wuhan’s East Lake, China on Saturday. (Source: PTI Photo/PIB)

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou on Saturday said that his country does not think it is important whether India accepts China’s Belt and Road infrastructure project, insisting that China won’t force it to.

Kong, speaking to reporters in the central Chinese city of Wuhan after an “informal” summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, also said that China does not think the Indian government has changed its official stance that Tibet is a part of China, news agency Reuters reported.

PM Modi is on his way back from China from a two-day visit where he was hosted by Xi in the city of Wuhan for an “informal” meeting, meant to deepen bilateral ties between the two countries.

The visit was viewed as an important step towards building mutual trust ever since New Delhi and Beijing were locked in a tussle over Doklam, where a military standoff lasting 73 days had put a strain on the same.