Beijing: China is "ready to work" with
India to have "friendly consultation" and properly handle the
row over the stapled visa issue, a top foreign ministry
official said on Tuesday, on the eve of a key meeting between Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Replying to a question about whether the leaders will
discuss issues concerning stapled visas and resumption of
defence talks, Hong Lie told a media briefing here that China
is ready to solve issues relating to people to people
exchanges.
"As for the issue you mentioned, China is ready to
work with India to have friendly consultation and properly
handle the issues relating to people to people exchanges in
our bilateral relations," Hong said.
"We are very confident about the prospect of bilateral
relations," he said. China was also willing to work with India
on resumption of defence exchanges.
Singh and Hu will meet tomorrow in Sanya in China on
the sidelines of BRICS summit.
The statement comes in the backdrop of Beijing
granting normal visas to four journalists born in Jammu &
Kashmir, who are visiting Sanya in Hainan province to cover
the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, (BRICS)
summit beginning tomorrow.
India called off defence exchanges last year after
China refused visa to an Indian Army General B S Jaswal on the
ground that he headed troops in Jammu and Kashmir.
China apparently started issuing stapled visas to
residents of J&K since 2008 on the ground that it is a
"disputed" territory for which India raised vociferous
objections.
Indian officials were cautiously optimistic that China
may have stopped the practise, taking Indian concerns into
consideration.
In a guarded response to Singh-Hu meeting at Sanya,
Hong said "we welcome Prime Minister`s attendance at the BRICS
leaders meeting. President Hu will have meeting with him to
exchange views on bilateral relations as well as international
and regional issues of common interest."
In recent years China-India relations have achieved a
sound development with frequent exchanges and practical
co-operation across the board, he said adding that "we have
maintained a close contact and communication on major
international and regional issues."
He said this year is the year of exchanges between the
two countries there would be a series of activities to
increase mutual understanding and cooperation.
"We are very confident about the prospect of
bilateral relations," he said.
Besides Hu, Singh is scheduled to have bilateral
meetings with the leaders of other BRICS countries.
PTI
