Chinese defence minister in India to attend SCO meeting

Chinese defence minister in India to attend SCO meeting

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu arrived in India on Thursday to attend a key security summit, amid tensions between the two nations. Mr Li will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meeting on Thursday and Friday in Delhi. 

This is the first visit by a Chinese defence minister since a deadly clash between their troops in 2020. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The root cause of the tensions is an ill-defined 3,440km-long disputed border in the high-altitude Himalayan region. 

China’s defence ministry said Mr Li will address the conference in Delhi and “meet with the heads of delegations from relevant countries to communicate and exchange views on the issues of international and regional situation as well as defence and security cooperation”. Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will also attend the meeting, while Pakistan’s Khawaja Asif is expected to join virtually.