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With China compelling with India for OBOR, Japan to belt out same

Japan may approach India with a proposal to enter a strategic dialogue, aimed to counter China’s expansion under its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ in the region, said the country’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono.

Kono added that the United States and Australia will also be a part of the proposal. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be proposing the idea to US President Donald Trump on November 6 during a summit meeting, added the report.

The proposal, would help promote free trade and defense cooperation across the vast area, ranging from Southeast, South and Central Asia. Besides, the project will also extend beyond the Middle East and Africa, said Kono during a interview.

Explaining the significance of the project, he said it would help maintain free and open ocean, thus boosting the economy and security.

Kono went on to say that the aim of the fresh project would be to promote high-quality infrastructure investment across Asia to Africa.

The four-party dialogue will be another significant boost for India in the region, days after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj outlined the future roadmap for deep strategic cooperation across South Asia.

It must be noted that China has been pressuring India to join its multi-billion dollar One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative – a project that New Delhi has vehemently opposed to citing several geographical and sovereignty concerns.

However, if this cooperative cross-border project sees the light of the day, it would provide New Delhi with a much-needed edge over Beijing. Besides, the US and India have already announced plans to jointly work on infrastructural projects – building ports and roads – across South Asia to Asia-Pacific. Tillerson, during his visit to India,

The OBOR, which is a “Silk Road” initiative,  was a idea of Chinese President Xi Jinping and was recently included in the ruling Communist Party’s constitution earlier this week.

The project, which runs through disputed Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), would help China to play a greater role in South Asia and also on the international arena by building transport and trade links in more than 60 countries across three continents.

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