BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for stepped-up co-operation with India during an informal summit Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid tensions along their contested border and a rivalry for influence with their smaller neighbours that could determine dominance in Asia. “Conducting great co-operation by our two great countries can generate worldwide influence,” Xi was quoted as saying by state broadcaster CCTV. Despite such differences, Modi hopes China can help drive Indian economic growth ahead of national elections next year. Modi will be travelling to China again in June for a summit of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization dominated by Beijing and Moscow. Along with China, Russia and India, that group includes the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan as well as Pakistan.

Source: National Post April 27, 2018 04:10 UTC