First Strategic Dialogue to discuss friction points like Masood Azhar and NSG Bid between India and China

India and China are to hold their first Strategic Dialogue on February 22 in Beijing during which the two sides will discuss key issues of mutual “concern and interest” including “friction points” such as Masood Azhar+ and NSG. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar and executive vice-chairman of China hang Yesui will co-chair the meet to discuss all issues of mutual interest in bilateral, regional and international domain. The dialogue will strive for a holistic view of the relations between the two countries and see to what extent they can accommodate each other’s concerns and interests.

While the upcoming Strategic Dialogue, which was set up during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in August last year, is a new mechanism, it is a designed to be a more “comprehensive” forum.

India-China ties have witnessed strain following Beijing’s rigid stand on issues crucial to India such as membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and designation of JeM chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN.

Not only China scuttled India’s membership bid at the meeting of NSG last year, it also opposed banning of Azhar by the UN, apparently at the behest of Pakistan.