The Hindu : China identifies basis for ties with India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

International

International - India & World

China identifies basis for ties with India

By P.S. Suryanarayana

BEIJING June 19. China today indicated its intention to press for an improvement in its relationship with India on the "basis of the mutuality of perceptions that neither side poses a security threat to the other. This aspect of China's thinking, spelt out at a media briefing here, is likely to set the strategic framework for the talks that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, will have with his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, and other leaders in Beijing early next week.

The stated views of both China and India on the security dimension of their equation are meant to re-define the possibility of peaceful coexistence between the two countries. With both sides having sought to repair their relationship after a certain interpretation by India of its nuclear detonations in 1998 had ruffled China, the new formula that has done the trick is the affirmation that the two do not threaten each other's sense of security.

On the issue of nuclear weapons itself, a senior official of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who did not wish to be identified, told newspersons here that the international community had developed a consensus on the subject. The apparent reference was to the existing non-proliferation regime.

While the recent visit to China by the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, had served to enhance bilateral confidence, Beijing was keen on stepping up military-level exchanges and cooperation. This would in no way complicate China's other friendships in its neighbourhood, with the sound Sino-Pakistan relationship being a strategic reality not directed against any third country, it was pointed out.

On the Sino-Indian border dispute, the official reaffirmed China's pragmatic preference for a negotiated settlement on the basis of mutual understanding, mutual accommodation and mutual adjustment. Acknowledging the difficulties encountered in the process already set in motion by the two countries, China was prepared to adopt a positive attitude in resolving the issues of clarification and confirmation of the alignment of the line of actual control. Important in this context was the existing bilateral consensus that peace and tranquillity should prevail on the disputed boundary even before a final settlement.

About how far China might help India spread its wings on the international stage, Beijing kept New Delhi guessing on such issues as its aspiration to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. China had not so far taken a definitive stand on the credentials of any of the countries aspiring for this status in world affairs.

Sinha meets Chinese Minister

UNI reports from New Delhi:

The coming visit of Mr. Vajpayee to Beijing figured prominently during talks between the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and his Chinese counterpart at a meeting in Phnom Penh.

The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the two countries should work together at international forums, including the WTO, in the overall interest of developing countries.

Mr. Sinha today attended a post-ministerial meeting of ASEAN plus its ten sectoral dialogue partners.

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