During a host of bilateral and plurilateral engagements in the US from 18-28 September, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will be focussing on various key strategic, economic and other issues. Obviously, Indo-Pacific and terrorism will also figure during discussions. But China’s moves to block proposals at the UN for blacklisting of terrorists will also be high on EAM’s agenda during his US visit, sources told The Daily Guardian. “Jaishankar will bring China’s behaviour up during the discussions with various significant world leaders including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken,” sources said.
India is extremely annoyed at China defending its move to block a joint India-US effort to place a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist on the UN Security Council’s 1267 committee sanctions list. According to sources, New Delhi has conveyed its displeasure through diplomatic channels to Beijing over its statement through which it defended its controversial move.”
“The committee has clear guidelines on the designation of terrorist organisations and individuals and related procedures,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing on Monday. He also added that, “China always takes part in the work of the committee in a constructive and responsible manner in strict accordance with its rules and procedures.”
India is displeased with these remarks by the Chinese official that amount to defending Beijing’s move to block the proposal at the UN, sources said. Jaishankar, who is visiting the US to host a series of meetings including Quad and BRICS interactions, will take this issue up with the top world leaders. “This is the third such block from China in three months which is enough for the global community to take a strong note of Beijing’s behaviour,” say officials.
“What China is doing should not only be seen in the perspective of just one or two Pakistan based terrorists. It should be seen in a wider perspective as such a move by any country encourages and emboldens terror organisations that pose a threat to entire international community and weaken the overall fight and campaign against terrorism,” say sources. Diplomats told TDG, “Jaishankar will discuss China’s move to block blacklisting of terrorists in the larger global perspective and not only in the regional perspective.”
Recently taking a veiled dig at China, Jaishankar has already given an indication about how he is going to pursue this issue during his US visit. At a presser few days ago, EAM said that the UNSC listing of terrorists is done as they are a threat to the entire international community but some countries block these listings at peril to their own interests and their own reputation. He was replying to a question on UNSC proposals being blocked by China to designate Pakistan-based terrorists. “EAM dropped ample hints that he is going to highlight China’s moves to block proposals on terrorists in a larger global perspective,” sources said. Indian officials have seen China’s moves to prevent the sanctioning of terrorists based in Pakistan, its “all-weather” ally, as a double-standard on its professed commitment to tackle terrorism. The US visit will provide Jaishankar a much-needed opportunity to shift world focus to China’s ‘double-standard’ on countering terrorism.
MEA has said that Jaishankar’s visit to the US would enable a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to further consolidate the India-US strategic partnership.