Beijing: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao`s recent
meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh was "just
like a gentle breeze" which helped clear up the "suspicion and
misunderstanding" clouding bilateral ties, the state-run media
here said, seeking to reach out to India after breathing fire
over Arunachal Pradesh.
In its first positive assessment of the October 24
meeting between Singh and Wen on the margins of the ASEAN
Summit in Thailand amid the Chinese protests over Arunachal
Pradesh, an editorial in the People`s Daily, the mouthpiece of
the ruling CPC, said the two Prime Ministers reached consensus
that the two neighbours should forge a strategic partnership.
"The consensus between Premier Wen and Indian PM Singh
is just like a gentle breeze, clearing up all the suspicion
and misunderstanding that have hindered bilateral relations
over the past decades," it said, two days after China blamed
the Dalai Lama for the recent tension in Sino-India ties.
The paper noted that during their meeting, Wen and Singh
agreed that the two countries should forge a strategic
partnership to maintain regional peace and stability, achieve
the goal of common development and harmonious prosperity.
While pointing out that Sino-India relations are steadily
on the rise despite the ups and downs over the past decades,
the editorial underlined that leaders from both countries
reached agreement that China and India would "never regard
each other as a threat," which served as a political
foundation for development of bilateral ties from strategic
perspective.
On the disputed border issue, the two sides agreed to
narrow their differences through dialogue on the political
principles already reached, and jointly work out a solution
that goes in line with the interests of both sides, the
editorial noted.
"The two sides also need to ensure peace and create a
friendly environment in border areas, as well as enhance
cooperation and bilateral ties in various aspects," it said.
India and China were recently engaged in a verbal spat
over Prime Minister Singh`s visit to Arunachal Pradesh in
October as well as over the Dalai Lama`s proposed visit to the
state over which China lays claim. China objected to both
visits, but India rejected Beijing`s objections.
"Generally speaking, Sino-Indian relations witnessed
smooth development over the past decades, but some pending
issues and unnecessary misunderstanding have plagued bilateral
ties. It is of vital importance to combat various pressure and
challenges through collaboration," the editorial said and also
highlighted the role of the media in promoting the public
perception of bilateral ties.
"Media from both countries should play a constructive
role, creating a healthy environment to facilitate public
opinion," it said.
"China and India, the two neighbours with the world`s
largest population, are forging ahead towards peace and
development, which is the common wish of both leaders and
people," the editorial added.
`China not building dam across Brahmaputra`
Amid reports that it was building a
dam in Tibet on Brahmaputra river, China today assured India
that it will not do anything to damage other nations`
interests.
"China is a responsible country and will not do anything
to damage the interests of others," Foreign Ministry spokesman
Ma Zhaoxu said in a bi-weekly press briefing when asked to
comment on reports that China was building a dam on Yarlung
Zangbu River or Brahmaputra.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said yesterday that
India had repeatedly raised with China the issue of
construction of a dam by it on Brahmaputra river and Beijing
had consistently denied any such engagement.
"What I want to say is that this matter has been taken up
not just once but on a number of occasions with China and
China has consistently denied that it is engaged in any such
construction activity on the Brahmaputra," Rao said in
New Delhi.
She was replying to a question on the reported
construction at the Zangmu site on the Chinese side of the
Brahmaputra river, which was confirmed by the National Remote
Sensing Agency (NRSA) as per media reports.
The issue had also figured in the meeting between Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao
on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summit in
Thailand last month.
India and China partnership imp to defeat terrorism: Blair
United States, Great Britain and other western countries can`t win the war against terrorism unless they forge a partnership with India and China former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.
Addressing students of the prestigious Drew College in
New Jersey last week, the former British Prime Minister said
countries like the US and Britain – which are leading the
global war against terrorism -- should also use a combination
of military action and diplomacy with potential aggressors,
rather than choose between one means or the other.
He said that the war against terrirism could not be won
unless US and Britain partnered with India and China, the two
emerging powers of the world.
"I actually favor reaching out and talking to the Iranian
leadership, but also telling them it is not OK to acquire a
nuclear weapons capability, not now or in the future," Blair
said according to a press release issued by the Drew College.
Blair, who is now writing his memoirs, defended his
decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein in 2003, the
press statement said.
"The initial information on WMD turned out to be in most
respects wrong, but I honestly believe the world is better off
with Saddam and his two sons out of power," he said in
response to a question.
I ask people to respect the sincerity of my decision."
Blair`s main theme was that the world has become
interdependent, and that problems like the economic crisis and
climate change need global solutions.
A "somewhat different sort of politics" is needed as well.
The free world uses labels "left" or "right," but a new
perspective is needed, Blair said.
`Open` and `closed` are just as important.
"Do we become anti-immigration, isolationist,
protectionist? Or do we open up to the world?", he said.
Bureau Report
