BJP Confronts Chinese Delegation Over Key Bilateral Concerns
India's Bharatiya Janata Party raised significant concerns about border tensions and trade restrictions during a formal meeting with a visiting delegation from the Chinese Communist Party. This interaction marked the first such engagement between the two political parties in over six years. The meeting occurred amid signs of improving relations between the two neighboring nations.
Chinese Initiative Sparks Political Controversy
The Chinese embassy in New Delhi specifically requested this meeting. The delegation was led by Sun Haiyan, who serves as vice minister of the Communist Party's international liaison department. This position holds considerable importance within Beijing's foreign ministry structure. The meeting immediately triggered a heated exchange between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party.
Congress launched a strong attack against the BJP. The opposition party accused the government of hypocrisy, pretence and deceit. Congress recalled how it faced relentless criticism for allegedly signing a memorandum of understanding with China's governing party. They demanded complete transparency regarding the details of these recent meetings.
BJP Defends Meeting as Formal Diplomatic Engagement
BJP officials described the interaction as a formal meeting that followed improved bilateral relations. They countered Congress's accusations by stating they had nothing to hide. The BJP emphasized they were not entering into any secretive agreements with the Chinese Communist Party.
Party representatives also pointed to a previous meeting involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. They noted that during the tense Doklam standoff in 2017, Gandhi met with the then Chinese ambassador. BJP sources revealed their representatives raised several critical issues during the discussion with the Chinese delegation.
Specific Concerns Raised During Discussions
BJP general secretary Arun Singh and foreign department head Vijay Chauthaiwale brought up multiple points of contention. These included:
- Ongoing border disputes between India and China
- Export restrictions on tunnel boring machines
- Trade limitations on rare and critical minerals
The BJP representatives clearly stated these issues were not helpful for improving bilateral ties. Sources indicated the Chinese Communist Party showed keen interest in resuming party-to-party relations with the BJP. These connections had stalled since Singh led a delegation to China in 2019.
Multiple Engagements During Chinese Visit
The visiting delegation also met with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Tuesday. RSS sources confirmed this was a courtesy meeting conducted at the visitors' request. They noted the meeting occurred with approval from India's Ministry of External Affairs.
On social media platform X, BJP's Vijay Chauthaiwale stated they discussed ways to advance inter-party communications between the two political organizations. Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong participated in the delegation meetings as well.
Congress Demands Transparency in Bilateral Engagements
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera strongly criticized the BJP's approach. He asserted that citizens have a right to know what happened during closed-door meetings with foreign delegations. Khera accused the government of pursuing a policy of meek surrender in handling China relations.
The Congress spokesperson acknowledged there was nothing wrong with political parties engaging in dialogue with foreign counterparts. However, he accused the BJP of maintaining double standards in their approach. The Chinese delegation also met with Congress's foreign department head Salman Khurshid during their visit.
BJP Counters Opposition Criticism
BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha responded forcefully to Congress's allegations. He reiterated that his party had nothing to conceal from the public. Sinha noted that Congress still could not properly explain their own memorandum of understanding with China years after signing it.
The BJP spokesperson highlighted that this meeting occurred at the Chinese Communist Party's request. He pointed to recent improvements in India-China relations, including resumed flights and ongoing efforts to boost trade. Sinha observed that bilateral relations have definitely improved compared to the situation one year ago.
