World can learn from ‘frenemies’ India, China: Akbaruddin
Washington: India and China are “frenemies” which are working with each other despite disagreements and the world can learn from their relationship, India’s top diplomat at the UN has said.
“In Hollywood there is a term, which has become quite popular. And that, I think, is called frenemies. That’s what we have with China. We engaged with them, we compete with them. In some areas we work with them together and in some areas we agree to disagree and move on, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, said here on Tuesday.
Responding to a question after delivering the inaugural Ambassador Howard Schaffer Memorial Lecture at the Georgetown University, the senior Indian diplomat said India has engaged with China on its development initiatives like Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) but opposed it on its Belt and Road initiative.
“Belt and Road Initiative, to me, is not a normal multilateral or plurilateral approach…We are not party to that, he said at the event organised by the Georgetown India Initiative.
India skipped China’s high-profile Belt and Road Forum last year due to its sovereignty concerns over the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through PaK.
Touted as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ambitious project, the One Belt One Road initiative focuses on improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa, China and Europe.
KV Correspondent
