Owaisi slams Modi govt’s ‘flip-flops’: AIMIM chief claims India left weaker in ties with China; Wang Yi’s visit sparks row over Taiwan remarks

NEW DELHI: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday criticised the Centre’s foreign policy on China, alleging that India has been left in a “weaker” and “inferior” position on the global stage during the past 11 years of the Modi government.

The remarks come days after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visited India from August 18 to 19, during which he co-chaired the 24th round of the Special Representatives’ dialogue on the Boundary Question with national security advisor Ajit Doval, and also held bilateral talks with external affairs minister S Jaishankar. Wang Yi later called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


In a post on X, Owaisi posed several questions to Jaishankar over the government’s stand on Taiwan, China’s military assistance to Pakistan, and India’s widening trade deficit with Beijing.

“Why did @DrSJaishankar tell his Chinese counterpart that ‘Taiwan is part of China’? We had stopped saying so after 2011, once Beijing started giving Staple Visas to certain Indians. Has China announced a change in its Visa Policy?” Owaisi asked.

He went on to question whether China had agreed not to provide military support to Pakistan “as it did during the recent military clash with us,” adding, “Have we not insisted to Beijing that we can’t be friends if it hurts through Pakistan?”

On trade, the AIMIM chief demanded to know, “What has China promised to ensure that the massive Trade Deficit in its favour is reduced? Or are we going to promote more bilateral trade to further increase the trade deficit?”

“The Modi government’s China policy has been a series of flip-flops, which has left India weaker & in an inferior position after 11 years. From Territory to Trade, India has suffered in all domains. The lack of answers from the government is an acknowledgement of its failures,” Owaisi alleged.

Government sources, however, maintained that there is no change in India’s position on Taiwan. “We stressed that, like the rest of the world, India has a relationship with Taiwan that focuses on economic, technological and cultural ties. We intend to continue it,” they said after China’s readout of the Jaishankar-Wang Yi meeting claimed that the minister had affirmed Taiwan is part of China.

During the visit, both sides agreed to re-open border trade through Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass, resume direct flights between India and China, and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed to facilitate visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors.

The Chinese side also welcomed Prime Minister Modi’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, while India reaffirmed full support to China’s SCO Presidency.