India, China embark on new phase in relations

YAHOO NEWS ^ | Wed Jun 25, 7:18 AM ET

[MR. CAPITALIST]

BEIJING (AFP) - After decades of enmity, China and India embarked on what both sides termed a new phase in bilateral ties strengthened by agreement to reopen a section of their disputed Himalayan border.

AFP Photo

Relations between the Asian powers have been plagued by tensions for years but both sides say ties have taken a turn for the better with the visit to China by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (news - web sites).

"I think it has been an outstanding visit," India's External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday.

"There was no attempt on the part of either party to avoid an issue, evade an issue, sweep an issue under carpet. Everything has been discussed as frankly and as freely as possible between two friendly countries."

There has been no word, however, on the prickly subject of China assisting Indian rival Pakistan with its nuclear weapons and missiles program, although progress was made on long-running border disputes and other tricky issues.

In a landmark declaration, the nuclear neighbours agreed to open a trade corridor through Sikkim state, in what some Indian commentators saw as tacit recognition by Beijing of India's sovereignty over Sikkim.

It followed India's reaffirmation of commitment to its One-China policy.

New Delhi also reiterated that it will not allow Tibetans to conduct anti-China activities on its soil while both parties vowed that common interests should outweigh their differences.

Any differences, the declaration said, should be addressed "through peaceful means in a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable manner".

Opening of the border between Tibet and Sikkim is expected to add a new chapter in Sino-India trade, which the Asian giants have forecast will double to 10 billion dollars in the next few years.

But in an indication the two countries still have some way to go before resolving points of contention, neither conceded any change in policy -- India on Tibet or China on Sikkim.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan called India's position reaffirming Tibet as Chinese territory "an important and positive expression."

But Sinha said India's position was not a policy change.

He added there was also no change in policy of allowing the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile to remain in India.

China's Kong meanwhile denied that China has recognized India's sovereignty over Sikkim.

"This question cannot be solved overnight, but we hope this question can be resolved gradually," he said.

Despite the diplomatic fudging, the world's two most populous nations did agree to appoint envoys to explore ways to resolve a border dispute that has been a major sticking point.

India accuses China of occupying 38,000 square kilometres (14,670 square miles) of territory in Kashmir (news - web sites) while Beijing lays claim to 90,000 square kilometres (34,750 square miles) of land in Arunachal Pradesh.

"I should regard this as a very big development which shows the desire on the part of both countries to move forward with greater speed and to sort out issues as urgently as possible," Sinha said.

With key talks out of the way, Vajpayee Wednesday left the Chinese capital for Luoyang, one of the country's richest historical sites that was once the centre of Buddhism in China.

It was here that Indian Sanskrit scriptures were first translated into Chinese and the Indian leader will visit the Baima temple, considered the most venerable Buddhist temple in China

He heads to Shanghai later Wednesday where he will address an information technology seminar Thursday and meet with the city's mayor before returning to India on Friday.

[Gabrielle Reilly]

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