China harps on India joining its BRI plan

For the second time this week, Chinese officials reiterated the expectation that India would join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Speaking to a visiting delegation of 20 Asian journalists, officials of the Foreign Affairs Office of Heilongjiang expressed the desire that India would come on board the BRI. "India is always most welcome. We hope it will join the Belt and Road Initiative and take our mutual cooperation further," said an official.

Clearly, the fact that China keeps harping about India joining the BRI suggests that the reiterations, by the foreign affairs office of the provinces, are orchestrated. It is not necessarily because there are two Indians among the visiting Asian journalists. Although there is a Korean and a Japanese also in the delegation, there is no repeated mention about China wanting to bring Korea and Japan on board the BRI.

Earlier on August 22, Mrs Chen Wenling Chief Economist of the Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIE), which is the No.1 think tank on economic and issues had claimed that India has started showing interest in China's flagship Belt and Road Initiative.

The Heilongjiang officials said that every effort is being made to encourage India to participate in the two trade fairs that are held annually in Harbin.