Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe Likely To Visit India Amid Reports Of Increasing Chinese Activities in Doklam

New Delhi, July 26: Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe is expected to visit India by the end of this year. Fenghe has accepted India’s invitation. Speaking at a monthly news briefing, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang hinted about Fenghe’s India visit. He said both countries were currently in communication about the defence minister’s visit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping twice this year after the Doklam stand-off.

PM Modi also met Jinping during the ongoing 10th edition of BRICS summit in South Africa. In 2017, hundreds of troops from both sides were deployed in Doklam plateau. India came in support of its ally Bhutan and objected to Chinese construction in the region. Gaining control of the Doklam Plateau would have given China an undue advantage over India during a military conflict. The main aim of China was to keep a watch on India’s ‘Chicken’s-Neck’, the narrow strip connecting northeastern states to the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, The United States has claimed that China has resumed its activities in Doklam, while India is doing nothing in this regard. Alice G Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia said, “ I would assess that India is vigorously defending its northern borders and this is a subject of concern to India." Despite several rounds of engagement between China and Bhutan, the dispute between the two over Doklam has not been resolved.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2018 10:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).