Singapore: With "differences" persisting with
China over the boundary issue, India on Friday said the
newly-introduced working mechanism between the two countries
would help in "minimising" or "bridging" them.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna stated this at a
seminar organised here by the Institute of South Asian
Studies, three days after India and China operationalised the
agreement on the border coordination mechanism by framing
mutually agreed rules to avert conflict at their frontier.
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination
on India-China Border Affairs was formed during the 15th round
of border talks in New Delhi in January to avoid any untoward
incidents between the troops on ground while patrolling the
various points.
"China... is a priority in India`s foreign policy. We
have attempted to establish a strategic and cooperative
partnership with China... China has emerged as the largest
trading partner of India, and our engagement with China is now
multi-faceted." Krishna said.
Naturally, as between any two large countries, there are
"areas of convergence as well as fields of divergence" between
the two nations, he said.
"We will continue to engage China in a constructive and
forward looking manner so that both countries can achieve a
win-win situation," Krishna said.
PTI
