NEW DELHI: : Amid an apparent thaw in ties after 11 months of border strife, China on Monday backed the Brics summit to be hosted by India this year saying it’s willing to work with India and other member states to strengthen cooperation in various fields. President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India in the second half of this year for the summit, if the Covid situation continues to improve in the next few months.
China attaches great importance to the Brics cooperation mechanism and has always been committed to deepening the Brics strategic partnership and consolidating the positive momentum of Brics solidarity and cooperation, said the Chinese foreign ministry.
“China supports India’s hosting of this year’s Brics conference, and is willing to work with India and other Brics countries to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation in various fields, consolidate the “three-wheel drive” cooperation framework of economics, politics, and humanities,” said spokesperson Wang Wenbin, responding to queries on whether or not the border situation will affect the summit.
India earlier assumed the Brics chairmanship for 2021 and is set to hold this year’s summit. On February 19, foreign minister S Jaishankar launched India’s Brics 2021 website at the Brics secretariat in Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi. China’s backing of the summit follows the troop disengagement in the Pangong area after an agreement reached between the senior commanders.