India China Relations Up Up Away

[Lankan Ranger]

India China Relations Up Up Away

India and China reaffirmed the recent buoyancy in ties as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the IBSA-BRIC summits here on Thursday.

Singh pitched for measures to address the trade imbalance as both sides discussed ways to boost trade to meet the target of US$ 60 billion.

The Chinese President agreed with Singh’s view that the world was big enough to accommodate the developmental aspirations of both India and China.

Both leaders termed 2010 as a “momentous year” for Indo-China ties as it marks the 60 years of establishing the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. They have also pledged to work together on global issues, varying from climate change to Doha round of trade negotiations. The two sides stressed on the importance of “strategic and cooperative” partnership.

The trade imbalance has been playing big on Delhi’s mind as in 2009 India faced a trade deficit of US$ 15.8 billion. And the total trade for the year was US$43 billion, which had slowed down from US$ 52 billion due to the global financial crisis. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had discussed the trade imbalance issue at length with China during his visit in January this year.

“Balanced trade is our objective. The two leaders discussed the growing trade ties at length,” said Vishnu Prakash, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. He said good relations between the two countries is a “win win” situation for both that augurs well for the the region, stressing that the two are “partners” and not “combatants.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, meanwhile, expressed condolence over the loss of lives in China’s Qinghai province due to an earthquake and offered India’s assistance for victims of the tragedy. “I have learnt with deep sorrow of the devastation wrought in Qinghai province by a severe earthquake yesterday,” Manmohan Singh said.

India, China upbeat despite trade issues- Hindustan Times

 

[Lankan Ranger]

Manmohan, Hu review ties

Meeting on the sidelines of the BRIC summit here on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Hu Jintao of China agreed to widen and deepen the scope of cooperation between their two countries, including in the areas of education, defence and trade.

Briefing reporters on the meeting, the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders also agreed to encourage their companies to invest in each other's countries and facilitate greater market access for each other's products.

They also spoke of the need to maintain even closer cooperation on international issues like climate change, the Doha round and terrorism.

Dr. Singh expressed his condolences for the victims of the Qinghai earthquake, the spokesman said.

Asked whether contentious questions like China's policy of issuing ‘stapled visas' to Kashmir-domiciled Indian citizens and the recent incidents of computer hacking were discussed, the spokesman said the two Foreign Ministers had already reviewed the full range of issues in their meeting earlier this month and that “some of the matters of concern” were flagged then.

The spokesman said Dr. Singh introduced India's newly designated Special Representative for border talks — National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon — to President Hu and State Councillor Dai Binguuo. He said both sides expressed their satisfaction with the manner in which the SR mechanism was operating and felt the next round of talks on the border should be held at an early date.

The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan, Hu review ties