New Delhi: China on Tuesday confirmed it has invited India to the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation while reiterating that India was a 'major country' in the region. Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi decided not to participate in the China-led Indian-Ocean Region Forum meet.
Taking to Twitter, the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India Wang Xiaojian said, "India is one major country in the region. Of course, we have invited India...China is open & positive in its cooperation with India and other countries for sustainable development and long-term prosperity of the region". This comes after China organised the first high-level China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation, with 19 countries from the region except for India.
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The event was held, along with many other events, including the 6th China-South Asia expo, and the China-Indian Ocean region Thinks Tank Forum in a hybrid format in Kunming on November 21. The China- Indian Ocean Region Forum was organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), a government agency, headed by the former vice-foreign minister and Chinese ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui.
According to a press release issued by CIDCA, high-level representatives of 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Australia and representatives of three international organisations were present at the hybrid forum. Meanwhile, to China's disappointment, Maldives and Australia clarified their position on their participation at the forum meeting, saying that they were not present at the meeting curated by China.
