Why in news?
Recently adopted Xiamen Declaration of BRICS forum is seen as a triumph for Indian diplomacy.
What is Xiamen declaration about?
- It explicitly called out several Pakistan-based terror organisations and expressed concern on the security situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
- It also referred to violence caused by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and its affiliates, including theEastern Turkestan Islamic Movement Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan etc.
- The Chinese government, as is evident from the inclusion of the Uighur-focused Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement in the above list, is concerned about growing Islamist activity in its western provinces.
What is the significance of this?
- India-China Saw the importance of building a durable security architecture for their increasingly fraught relationship.
- People’s Republic of China a signatory to this declaration, had till recently been blocking the designation of the head of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, Masood Azhar, as an international terrorist by the United Nations.
- This was done presumably to protect Beijing’s clients in Pakistan, where Azhar continues to move around freely and address massive rallies.
- It is not yet certain whether this declaration represents a change in China’s stand on Azhar.
- But India’s efforts to make Beijing yield its obstructive position at the United Nations should continue.
- It is a sign that relations between the India-China have not been harmed by the doklam stand-off, but remain cordial and co-operative.
Source: Business Standard
