The Heat: China in South Asia

The Heat

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed the Indian Prime Minister to his hometown of Xian in 2015, after visiting Modi’s home state of Gujarat. At the time, both leaders pledged to reset relations.

But those hopes have since faded.

India did not participate this month in China’s Belt and Road summit over criticisms of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The corridor links China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region which India claims is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged world leaders to reject protectionism.

To discuss the future of China in South Asia and how the Belt and Road initiative will evolve:

  • Haiyun Ma, assistant professor at Frostburg State University and the Founder of Zhenghe International Peace Foundation
  • Sourabh Gupta, a resident senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies
  • Ronce Almond, a partner at the law firm, The Wicks Group
  • Moeed Yusuf, an associate vice president of the Asia Center at the U.S. Institute of Peace