India, China seal border pact, talk Pak-based terror - Times of India BEIJING: ‘If the host is hospitable and generous, there will be more frequent visits from guests’ — a pithy Chinese phrase summed up the mood as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sealed significant pacts to curb use of force on the borders, open a dialogue on dams on the Brahmaputra and enhance cooperation on terrorism with China. On a clear day after overnight rain drove Beijing’s infamous smog away, the PM struck an equation with the new Chinese leadership, with President Xi Jinping telling Singh, We need to stand tall and look far, a journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step. Xi handsomely supplemented the proverb offered by the Chinese spokesperson after the two sides signed a border protocol, mooting a hotline between military headquarters, and China pushed for an ambitious Bangladesh-Myanmar-India-China economic corridor along the south Silk Route. The bonhomie might, given the recent run-ins on the Line of Actual Control, call for a reality check, but Indian officials are particularly pleased with a memorandum on water signed as part of nine agreements at the impressive Great Hall of the People that puts issues of mutual interest on the menu. While stapled visas to Arunachal Pradesh residents remain a clear irritant, the breakthrough on border management and a preparedness to address a yawning trade deficit — although Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Ahluwalia said the visit was not about returning to India waving order books — are a matter of satisfaction. Stressing common goals, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said, Our two peoples have the wisdom and our two governments have the ability to manage our differences along the border so that it would not affect the overall interests of our bilateral relations. Singh agreed, but underlined Indian concerns, saying, As large neighbours following independent foreign policies, the relationships pursued by India and China with other countries must not become a source of concern for each other. This will be our strategic reassurance. Singh followed this up by firmly underlining that peace on the border was a strategic benchmark while emphasizing the bonhomie by saying, When India and China shake hands, the world takes notice. While Li said he will work to build political trust, Singh felt the border defence cooperation agreement (BDCA) will increase stability on the border. Getting the border deal has been strenuous work, but the Indian side feels the agreement on trans-border rivers — that had not been nailed down till two days before Singh’s meeting with Li — opens a tightly closed door. Apart from cooperation on sharing hydrological data, the MoU says the two sides will exchange views on other issues of mutual interest — read to mean India can raise queries on controversial dams on the Brahmaputra. The BMIC economic corridor is an alluring concept, one that China is setting a lot of store by. In the area of counter-terrorism cooperation, Li spoke of joint training in south-west China and the Indians confirmed that Pakistan’s role in fostering and using terrorism was discussed. Officials later asserted that the BDCA agreement did not prevent India from improving border infrastructure in any way as the situation was highly asymmetrical, with the odds favouring China. The BDCA reiterates the 1993 border agreement that neither side shall use or threaten to use force but also adds there will be no attempt to seek unilateral superiority. Specifically referring to Depsang-type showdowns, the new protocol says, (In) a face to face situation where there is no common understanding of the LAC, both sides will exercise maximum self-restraint and… not use force or threaten to use force. Of satisfaction to India is China’s willingness to discuss Pakistan’s role in supporting terror. Foreign secretary Sujatha Singh said the issue had been placed squarely on the table during talks with Li. The Indians also brought up Chinese-supported economic development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, referring to linkages planned from the Gwadar port all the way through PoK. There was little progress on issue of stapled visas by China , with India pointing out that the tactic was a serious irritant and the Chinese countering with their stated position that the device was an improvement on outright denial of visas. In his remarks, Singh said he told the Chinese that India will proceed with simplification of visa rules as Indian businesses also hoped for reciprocal concessions. The pact itself will need more time as both sides finesse differences on stapled visas. The economic component of the dialogue, although less prominently highlighted, saw China agreeing to consider a proposal for an industrial park in India to help redress an increasingly unviable trade gap. KLik Baca selanjutnya : ift.tt/16vZHOv
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 21:02:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015