The long-running border dispute should not affect "the overall interest" of relations between China and India, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said two weeks ahead of Premier Wen Jiabao's much-anticipated visit to New Delhi.
China and India had agreed to seek a solution to the dispute that was fair, reasonable and acceptable to both sides, spokesperson Jiang Yu said on Thursday, when asked about the fourteenth round of talks
between the special representatives which concluded here on Tuesday.
"Chinese and Indian leaders have expressed on many occasions that the boundary issue should not affect the overall interest of bilateral relations," Ms. Jiang said, adding that the negotiations between the two sides would proceed keeping in mind the "fundamental interests" of the two countries.
National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said earlier this week the two countries had made "steady progress" in this week's talks.
Mr. Menon said that since the thirteenth round which was held in New Delhi last year, the mandate of the special representatives had been expanded to look at issues facing the bilateral relationship beyond the border dispute, reflecting the deepening engagement between the two countries.
He added that the interactions between the two sides on a range of issues had laid the groundwork for Mr. Wen's visit to India next month to be "a landmark visit for the relationship".
