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'Immediate China-border solution unrealistic'

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Agencies

Posted online: Monday , January 14, 2008 at 02:50:25
Updated: Monday , January 14, 2008 at 03:05:40


Beijing, January 14: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's first visit to China after a "wait" of more than a year was "a good opportunity to strengthen ties", the state media said but cautioned that it was "unrealistic" to expect a solution to the festering boundary issue from a single meeting.

"The border issue has always been on the agenda when Chinese and Indian leaders meet. A relic of the two countries' past, settlement of the issue will depend on wisdom, vision and flexibility. It is unrealistic to expect a solution from a single meeting," China Daily, the communist nation's leading English language newspaper, commented.

Singh's previous visit was cancelled at the last minute in June 2006 when he was to attend the summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Beijing-based regional security grouping, it said.

India's hopes for a "breakthrough" on a border issue especially that the "Chinese side would accept a solution described as maintaining the status quo with minor adjustments" were blamed for the delay in Singh's visit, Hu Shisheng, a researcher, wrote in an opinion piece in the daily.

"The reason for this (delay of visit) could be 'too many expectations'. The two governments expected a great deal from Singh's China trip when he agreed to come, hoping to make some breakthroughs on bilateral issues of significance."

The Chinese side hoped to sign a bilateral free trade pact or a regional trade arrangement, Hu, with think-tank China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said, adding neither side "is fully prepared for a breakthrough the other is hoping for".

The two giant neighbours have yet to commit to holding annual bilateral summit meetings. The last Indian president, Abdul Kalam, never visited China during his five-year term in office. As for Prime Minister Singh, this is his fourth year in office but his first trip to China, Hu said.

Reciprocal visits between top leaders are particularly important for China and India to improve their bilateral ties, because exchanges between the two peoples have not been smooth despite the fact they are neighbours.

Hu, however, said that the delay in Singh's visit must not be viewed in negative light as it has actually spurred the two sides to explore and advance in other areas of their bilateral ties.

Noting the "significant progress" in China-India relations, particularly in security, the article said last month, the two armies conducted their first joint military exercise, turning a "staring match" into a "handshake", as both sides put aside their 1962 border war.

Even on such tough issues as border demarcation and bilateral trade, the two nations have managed to make some encouraging progress in the past year, Hu said.

The two sides agreed to form a joint working group that would build a framework for resolving the border issue, thus putting efforts on track toward a real solution.

Pointing that two Chinese premiers and their Indian counterparts have paid each other official visits during their terms in office in recent years, Hu said it shows bilateral ties have indeed been put on a positive track.

However, the current pace of high-level reciprocal visits between the two sides still needs to be stepped up as the two build a strategic partnership as fast-rising powers.

As the two peoples get to know each other better, bilateral ties will develop more smoothly and some of the thorny issues will be resolved easily, he said.

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china by wong on 15 Jan 2008

China strong.India week.China playping pong

china by pong on 15 Jan 2008

Mr.Pong right.India obey Chinaor perish.No choice.

china by ping on 15 Jan 2008

Mr.Singh,good boy.Obey Chinaor else too bad for your country.

Litttle Chinese Dreamer by Ashutosh Mishra on 15 Jan 2008

Seems you are watching a nice sweet dream.Stay that way,enjoy your dream.

china apppeasement by babubhai on 15 Jan 2008

solution with china border is very easy ,,,,, just claim that mongolia is ours....andcheck their borders.these politicians, arebegging apppeasers...do you think they can accomplish anything as leaders???India is sold out by bits and pieces,since 1947...allthe accomplishments of private pioneers goes to waste because these pocketeer politicians...

CHINA TRIP OF PM by BABUBHAI on 15 Jan 2008

border solutiuon---nothing accomplished !!!!and a lot to be lost in near future...PM knows it. he will be willing to lose anything of India,to get support for his nuclear billand china'sindian cpm.trade balance all in china'sfVOR, ALL ACCOMPLISHED !!!!HIGH MORAL TALKS, JUST LIKE pm'S PREACHING TO THOSE DYING FARMERS IN vIDARBHA....A LOT OF HOG WASH....JUSTTTTTTT WATCH...

arjha1@verizon.net by Dr. A.R. Jha (Sr. Consulting Scientist) on 14 Jan 2008

Chinese statement that border issue cannot be solved in one meeting.This is nonsense. More than 12 meetings are held but nothing is resolved.Chinese had more than 45 years to solve the border issue, but they do want to solve. Indian officials are incompetant and ignorant to understand Chinese bad intentions. Indian government must not accept status quo with minior adjustments and strategic partnership as desired by Chinese. It is time for Indian government to wake up.

India should push for trade and at the same time build up its military, by DILIP / FRANCE on 14 Jan 2008

Our P.M.is deluding himself with namby pamby fairy tales, failing to realise that China is stringing along India, like Alice in Wonderland.India must stop kidding itself and understand the ground reality. China as of now does not consider India to be equal hence these shennaghans and hoopla. India will be amongst equals,once it has reached parity with China, militarily and economically, this will not materialise, as long as these feeble UPA flip floppers and their jihadist cahoots are in power.As long as this gulf remains, India will be made to do the snake dance by China.With urgency, if possible develop lethal second strike arsenal,nuclear submarines and supersonic crusie missles and buy the best weapons from USA, and ditch Russia, which is an untrustworthy and an unreliable partner.India's strategic interest lies with USA and not with China.USA speaks with authority and swagger, to China, as China respects strength and wealth.This is only pragmatic way,India will be able to resolve all outstanding issues and disputes.

Can we set a timline in this meeting? by Rakesh on 14 Jan 2008

As far as I remember, this is not the first meeting for resolving border. I think china is not sincere about resolving border issue. It is a big challenge for Indian govt. to resolve border issue and do not hurt relations between two countries. In my opinion, Indian govt is taking it easy on border issue, which is one of the main reason china is not making a bit difficult decision. Certainly we can not resolve border issue in this metting, but we can set a time line to resolve this issue. It is in indian interest to resolve issue at earlierst.

War is the only solution to take back our lands from China by Mrs Chaarulata on 14 Jan 2008

At one hand UPA govt is exposing indian military secrets by hosting joint military excercise with china and at other hand they are blaming china now. The people who read world affairs know that China is a rogue and barbaric country. It got developed because of the blessings from USA and UK.India should launch nuclear strike on china and reclaim our Tibbet and Aksai Chin. It is unfortunate that india is not talking about lands grabbed by China due to fear. It is a matter of shame that UPA leaders were lying in the parliament for years saying there were no incursion on chinese borders. BSF chief reported 140 chinese attacks in 2006 alone.All our PMs are scared with China. During kargil india could not attack Pakistan thinking that India will lose more if war happens as foreign investors will leave the country. Same logic should work with China now as China attracts 250 times more investment than India. We should claim Beijing and Shanghai saying that they were parts of India thousand years ago. We should attack China and finish its economy.

There should not talk with China unless it returns Tibbet and Aksai Chin by Mrs Chaarulata on 14 Jan 2008

At one hand UPA govt is exposing indian military secrets by hosting joint military excercise with china and at other hand they are blaming china now. The people who read world affairs know that China is a rogue and barbaric country. It got developed because of the blessings from USA and UK.India should launch nuclear strike on china and reclaim our Tibbet and Aksai Chin. It is unfortunate that india is not talking about lands grabbed by China due to fear. It is a matter of shame that UPA leaders were lying in the parliament for years saying there were no incursion on chinese borders. BSF chief reported 140 chinese attacks in 2006 alone.All our PMs are scared with China. During kargil india could not attack Pakistan thinking that India will lose more if war happens as foreign investors will leave the country. Same logic should work with China now as China attracts 250 times more investment than India. We should claim Beijing and Shanghai saying that they were parts of India thousand years ago. We should attack China and finish its economy.

nefa by sarbjit on 14 Jan 2008

If Indian territory can be snatched in one war why it cant be settled in one meeting. As china is much much strong than India in every respect so Indian Leaders has no Guts to ask for such settlement, even America is afraid of China power.

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