Beijing, August 8: China has officially welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin later this month.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, responding to media queries on Friday, confirmed Beijing’s readiness to host the Indian leader. “China welcomes Prime Minister Modi for the SCO Tianjin Summit,” Guo said.
If confirmed, this will mark Modi’s first visit to China in more than seven years. People familiar with the matter in New Delhi earlier this week indicated that the Prime Minister is expected to travel to Tianjin to join other leaders at the annual SCO gathering.
The summit is expected to cover a wide range of regional issues, including security cooperation, trade, connectivity, and joint responses to emerging global challenges. Modi’s attendance could provide an opportunity for bilateral engagement between India and China at a time when relations have faced strain in recent years.
The SCO, founded in 2001, is a regional bloc comprising China, India, Russia, Pakistan, and several Central Asian nations. It serves as a platform for political, economic, and security cooperation across Eurasia.