New Delhi: China on Saturday expressed readiness
to work towards increasing mutual understanding and confidence
with India as the two sides concluded two-day boundary talks
on a satisfactory note and agreed to maintain "peace and
tranquility" in the border areas pending the settlement.
In a special message to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said it was in the interest of both
the countries to maintain "peaceful co-existence and seek
common development which is also exerting deep and far impact
on Asia and the whole world".
The message conveyed through Chinese State Councillor
Dai Bingguo, who met Singh, said "China is willing to work
with India to increase mutual understanding and confidence,
enhance cooperation in all fields, and seek new progress in
building the Sino-India Strategic Cooperative Partnership."
Singh responded by saying that India completely agrees
with Wen's sentiments and seeks to strengthen Strategic
Cooperative Partnership.
Describing China as a cooperative partner, Singh said
India was willing to work towards expanding and deepening
bilateral ties and work with it to promote peace, stability
and prosperity in Asia and the world.
The message came as Special Representatives of the two
countries concluded deliberations, expressing "satisfaction at
the progress" being made in the boundary talks and agreeing to
maintain "peace and tranquility" in border areas pending
settlement.
Singh also told Dai that before the two countries
settle the boundary issue, both sides should work for the
maintenance of peace and calmness in the border areas.
The Prime Minister also hoped that the two countries
would make further efforts to reduce differences and find a
solution to the boundary issue to mutual satisfaction,
according to Chinese official news agency.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash
said the talks between National Security Adviser M K Narayanan
and Dai were held in "cordial and friendly" atmosphere.
For the first time, apart from the boundary issues,
the discussions covered a broad agenda which included the
entire gamut of bilateral relations and regional and
international issues of mutual interest.
Describing relations with China as a "key foreign
policy priority for India", Narayanan noted that there has
been a significant expansion in bilateral cooperation in areas
such as trade and investment, defence, culture, education and
people-to-people exchanges."
Reciprocating the sentiments, Dai hoped that the two
countries will jointly meet global challenges in the spirit of
the Shared Vision, signed during Singh's visit to China in
January 2008.
"China takes a positive view of India's development
and progress, and also supports a bigger role for India in
international affairs," Dai said.
Both sides noted that the Strategic Cooperative
Partnership established between India and China in 2005 was a
major milestone in the relationship.
Beijing believes that both countries should "fully tap
the potential for cooperation and properly handle frictions
and questions thereof".
There was a need to promote the relationship with a
higher and strategic perspective and continue to uphold the
five principles of peaceful co-existence, a release from the
Chinese embassy said here.
"China and India should endeavour to build strategic
mutual trust. Both need to expand the common interests and
cooperation bilaterally and on regional and global affairs,"
the statement added.
For the future development of bilateral ties, the
Chinese side suggested that the two countries need to maintain
the momentum of high-level exchanges and celebrate 60th
anniversary marking the establishment of diplomatic relations
between the two countries by holding Chinese festival in India
and Indian festival in China in 2010.
The Chinese delegation also suggested that both
nations should strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in
the field of economy and trade.
"China and India should also intensify the
coordination and cooperation on major international issues,
especially the global efforts in response to world financial
crisis, climate change, energy and food security so as to
promote evolution of international system that is in favour of
developing nations," the statement said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, August 08, 2009, 23:42