China to Boycott G20 Summit in Kashmir India

China has announced that it will boycott the upcoming G20 summit being held in the disputed Himalayan province of Kashmir, India. Both China and Pakistan have denounced India for organising the event in Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region contested by New Delhi and Islamabad.

Both countries claim the entire region but only rule parts of it. Since their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, they have fought three wars over Kashmir.

In the run-up to the G20 summit in New Delhi in September, India, which has the chair this year, has scheduled a series of meetings across the country.

“China is firmly opposed to holding any kind of G20 meeting in disputed territory, and will not attend such meetings,” Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aljazeera reported on Friday.

Since 2019, when New Delhi modified the status of Jammu and Kashmir state, ending its special status and converting it into a federal entity, relations between India and Pakistan have been frozen.

It divided the state into two federal areas, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. A significant portion of Ladakh is under Chinese influence.

For decades, the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir has been roiled by an insurgency seeking independence or union with Pakistan, killing tens of thousands of civilians, troops, and Kashmiri rebels.

Ties between New Delhi and Beijing have also been tense since a military clash in Ladakh in 2020 that resulted in the deaths of 24 soldiers.

India China Relations

India has responded by stating that it is free to convene meetings on its own territory. It stated on Friday that peace and serenity along its border are crucial for proper relations with China.

In comments that reflect a rare articulation of New Delhi’s position since tensions with Beijing worsened in 2020, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbours can only be founded on mutual respect, sensitivity, and interest.

“India is fully prepared and committed to protecting its sovereignty and dignity,” Modi said in an interview with Nikkei Asia ahead of his G7 summit visit to Japan.

The three-day event is held at a large, heavily secured location on the shores of Dal Lake in Srinagar. According to police, security has been increased “at vulnerable locations to avoid any possibility of terrorist attack during the G20” summit.

Elite Indian commandos patrolled the streets of Srinagar on Friday. Roads leading to the location have been freshly black-topped, and electrical poles have been lit up in the colours of India’s national flag to demonstrate “normalcy and peace returning” to the region, according to officials.

India has promoted tourism in Kashmir, with over a million of its nationals visiting last year.

On May 22-24, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, will host a meeting of the G20 tourism working group.

India and the G20 Countries

The G20, also known as the Group of Twenty, is an international forum for governments and central bank governors from 19 countries plus the European Union. The G20 brings together major advanced and emerging economies to discuss global economic issues and coordinate policy responses. The member countries of the G20 represent around 80% of the world’s GDP and two-thirds of its population.

The G20 was established in 1999 in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis as a forum for finance ministers and central bank governors. In 2008, during the global financial crisis, the G20 was elevated to the leaders’ level, recognizing the need for broader cooperation and coordination to address the challenges faced by the global economy.

The G20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union, represented by the European Council and the European Central Bank.

The G20 holds annual summits where leaders discuss various global issues, including economic growth, trade, financial regulation, climate change, and development. The G20’s decisions and agreements are not legally binding but carry significant political weight, and its members strive to reach consensus on key issues.

The G20 also engages with various stakeholders, including international organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the United Nations (UN), to foster cooperation and coordination in addressing global challenges.

It’s important to note that while the G20 is a prominent international forum, my knowledge cutoff is in September 2021, so there may have been developments or changes in the G20 since then.