Xian (China): Giving final touches to its most ambitious plan to build a wide network of new silk roads on land and seas to enhance global connectivity, China has invited India to join President Xi Jinping’s pet project that would revive the ancient trade route and benefit the region.
“From historical point of view India is the converging point of Maritime Silk road (MSR) and the ancient Silk Road on land. For more than 2,000 years India had very good exchanges with China through the passage of the South Silk Road,” Gao Zhennting, councillor, department of international economic affairs, said.
“So in China we have a belief that China and India both placed the trail of silk roads and MSR and we both have benefited from the roads,” said Mr Gao, who oversees the Silk Roads projects.
“The Chinese government believes that India naturally is an important partner in this One belt and One Road,” Gao said.
He denied the new projects were aimed at establishing China’s influence, saying Beijing is not aiming to establish influence nor will it establish a new mechanism for the Silk Roads.
