Xi has an eye on Kashmir. Is Modi watching Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea?

In a dig at India’s leader, opposition politician Manish Tewari has asked if Modi will raise the sensitive issues during his informal summit with the Chinese president

But analysts say it is a political move to pressure Modi’s BJP, and his stance does not reflect the Congress party’s position on Beijing

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to discuss long-standing border issues, tourism and trade during their summit. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:15pm, 10 Oct 2019Updated: 10:28am, 11 Oct 2019

A senior opposition politician took a dig at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping this weekend, by asking if India’s leader would raise sensitive issues such as the disputed South China Sea and anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

Congress senior leader Manish Tewari’s comments were prompted by reports this week of Xi’s meeting with Imran Khan, the leader of India’s arch-enemy, Pakistan. Tensions between the rivals, who share a border with China, have been high since New Delhi in August stripped Indian-controlled Kashmir of its statehood and imposed a lockdown and communications blackout on the region. Pakistan and India both claim Kashmir in full.

During their meeting, Xi told Khan that Beijing – a key ally of Islamabad – was playing close attention to what was happening in Kashmir. “China supports Pakistan to safeguard its own legitimate rights and hopes that the relevant parties can solve their disputes through peaceful dialogue,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Security personnel stand guard during the lockdown in Kashmir. Photo: AFP

In a television news interview on Wednesday, Tewari said India should “think through its China policy very carefully”.

“If Xi Jinping says ‘We are watching Kashmir’, then what stops PM Narendra Modi … to say that we are watching the pro-democratic movement in Hong Kong?” he said.