‘Chinese premier’s India visit may focus on border issue’

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visit to India, starting on Sunday, to break new ground amid recent border stand-off, could also focus on the need for settlement of border dispute besides boosting trade, Chinese analysts said.

Beijing: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visit to India, starting on Sunday, to break new ground amid recent border stand-off, could also focus on the need for settlement of border dispute besides boosting trade, Chinese analysts said on Saturday.

It may not be a breakthrough trip for the border dispute settlement but could be the one to emphasise on the need for an early resolution and improvement of relations, they said.

"China has resolved border dispute with 13 of its 14 neighbours including Russia leaving India the only country to settle such a problem. China and India has to come to terms to resolve it, the legacy left by British", Victor Gao Zhikai, noted Chinese current affairs commentator and Director China National Association of International Studies said.

Li, who will be travelling with a large business delegation, is due to visit both New Delhi and Mumbai.

He is scheduled to address first CEO Forum of the two countries during which he is expected to announce new initiatives to boost bilateral trade and to provide more access to Indian goods to Chinese markets to reduce the nearly USD 30 billion trade deficit.

Gao, who was the translator for China`s moderate leader Deng Xiaoping whose opening up of ideology transformed China, said Beijing managed to settle the land border even with Vietnam even though there is still dispute about the islands in the South China Sea.

This means from China`s point of view, India stands out with the dispute raring its head causing problems between the two countries.
"Chinese leadership believes that both countries should not get caught in the quagmire and come out early", Gao said adding that the two countries should come to terms with it sooner or later.
He said there was economic benefits that would follow such a settlement with new opportunities for railway and energy links.

PTI

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