Bishek: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit out at unilateralism and trade protectionism, and said that there is a need for a rules-based, anti-discriminatory and all inclusive WTO-centred multilateral trading system, amidst the raging trade war between the US and China.
Modi said that unilateralism and protectionism has not benefitted anyone. "Economic cooperation is the basis of our people's future. "We need a rule-based, transparent, anti-discriminatory, open and all inclusive WTO-centred multilateral trading system focused so that the interests of every countries specially the developing ones can be taken care of," he said.
India is committed to make favourable environment for the economic cooperation between the SCO member countries, the Prime Minister said in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi said he had an "extremely fruitful" meeting with Xi during which they discussed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and vowed to work together to improve the economic and cultural ties.
The meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit here is their first interaction after Modi's re-election following the stunning victory of the BJP in the general elections last month. Xi said India and China should uphold free trade, and multilateralism, without directly referring to Beijing's opposition to US President Donald Trump's protectionist policies and the ongoing China-US trade war.
