Beijing sandwiched Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping's informal summit between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's yet another tour of China and Xi's first visit to Nepal

China has emerged as the global driver for economy and strategic realignment over the past one decade. The Xi Jinping regime of China is looking to have its stamp everywhere on the globe. It wants to enter every household in every country in what observers call post-modern imperialism. This was inherent in the way China punctuated the informal summit between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram last week.

Beijing sandwiched Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping's informal summit between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's yet another tour of China and Xi's first visit to Nepal. While Pakistan remains an adversary of India and is on a rather unsuccessful mission of stoking passion against India in the name of Islam, Nepal has been long-held as an unwavering friend of India.

China, at present, has Pakistan practically in its stride and is trying to win over Nepal with huge investments in infrastructure - something that the Himalayan nation lacks. India might not like it but doesn't have many options, particularly at a time when economic slowdown has tied the hands of the Modi government.

IMRAN KHAN'S CHINA VISIT

During Imran Khan's visit, China made two U-turns. First, it dropped the reference to the UN Security Council resolution with regard to Kashmir as it announced Xi Jinping's schedule for informal meeting with Narendra Modi. It had been harping on the UNSC resolutions since the Modi government's decision to scrap special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August through a recast of Article 370.

However, before the Indian government could analyse the Chinese position, Xi Jinping had a meeting with Imran Khan and in the joint statement came back the UNSC reference over Kashmir. India voiced a strong protest but it could not have gone to the extent of deferring the informal summit now.

China, sort of, manipulated India to deliver its message that Xi Jinping administration would continue to prick India while holding an olive branch towards it. Xi Jinping "briefed" Narendra Modi about Imran Khan's visit to China.

XI JINPING'S INDIA VISIT

Beyond the optics of bonhomie - which was an extension of the Wuhan Summit of 2018 -- between Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, the Chinese leader played tough and sought to have his way. How much he succeeds will depend on the future course of India-China relation.

First, a symbolic feature. While PM Modi took a helicopter ride from Chennai airport to Mamallapuram, Chinese President Xi shunned the Indian chopper and travelled in his own Hongqi - a practice similar to the US presidents using their own specialised Cadillac vehicle called "The Beast".

Secondly, on completion of Xi Jinping's India visit, the state-owned Xinhua quoted the Chinese president as saying, "Dragon and the elephant dance is the only correct choice for China and India" while advocating to deal with the differences "in a correct way". The report did not explain the "differences" or the "correct way". Both now depends on the definition given by Xi Jinping.

XI JINPING'S NEPAL VISIT

Xi Jinping's Nepal visit was the most forceful attempt by China till date to wean the Himalayan nation to Chinese fold. This was the first visit by a Chinese president in 23 years. The last visit was when Nepal was still experimenting with parliamentary democracy and heavily depended on India for everything.

India still remains the largest trade partner of Nepal and is its gateway to the world but under Xi Jinping, China is trying to dislodge India from its over-arching position. During Xi Jinping's visit, China promised to invest about $500 million or nearly 56 billion Nepali Rupees in infrastructure and development projects over the next two years.

China also pushed for Nepal's greater cooperation in Belt and Road Initiative. A trans-Himalayan corridor is in the offing. This will connect Lhasa -- the Tibetan capital -- with Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. From Kathmandu, the trans-Himalayan corridor of road and rail network would reach, as per plan, Lumbini - the birthplace of Gautam Budhha - on the India-Nepal border.

One of the arguments here is that by traversing Nepal and reaching up to the Indian border, China wants to put pressure on India to join its BRI project. Without Indian support, the massive Chinese One Belt One Road project would not achieve its objective of having a common transport route of global trade.

A TIBETAN ANGLE

From Nepal, Xi Jinping served a warning to pro-Dalai Lama Tibetan activists. The Dalai Lama is the symbol of Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule since early 1950s. He stays in India - at Dharmashala, from where a Tibetan government-in-exile functions.

An estimated 3000-5000 Tibetans reach India every year proclaiming their support to the Tibetan government-in-exile. These Tibetans reach India through Nepal.

The Dalai Lama, who has retired, continues to be their rallying point. China considers him a separatist, who wants to break the unity of the country - a charge the Dalai Lama often rejects.

In Nepal, Xi Jinping said any attempt to split China will be "crushed". This was more a message to Nepal and India than the Tibetans sneaking through China-Nepal border in Tibet.

Seen as a complete package, the three diplomatic engagements of Xi Jinping had a hidden message for India: China is the new global boss and India should reassess its adversarial or friendly relation with its northern neighbour.