New Delhi
4 September 2006
Beijing has suggested that the talks on the vexed India-China
boundary question would continue beyond President Hu Jintao's visit to India in
November as "large areas still [remain] in dispute".
The main theme of Hu's visit is therefore likely to be building of "trust" and "confidence"
and to take the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership to a "new high" besides
focussing on trade, economy and people-to-people contacts.
Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi on Monday hinted the next round of boundary
talks between the special representatives of India and China is likely to take place
"before or immediately after" President Hu's visit to New Delhi.
"We will continue the talks," he told a select group of journalists. His observation belies
expectation in New Delhi that India and China would arrive at a basic framework for
resolving the boundary question without delay.
The envoy, however, observed that the boundary issue should not come in the way of
overall development of bilateral relations. He felt the reopening of Nathu-La pass for
border trade is a good example of cooperative venture.
He said another "problem" in bilateral realtions besides the boundary question is the bar
repeat bar on Chinese companies from participating in certain projects like airport
modernisation in India because of security concerns.
"We are facing restrictions on investing here. We are facing difficulty in investing here,"
he said, adding that China plans to set up a steel factory in India in view of availability of
large amount of iron ore here which it imports today.
The envoy said Air China will start three more direct flights in October that will fly non-
stop between Delhi and Beijing. A Chinese Consulate is also planned in Kolkata. Today
India and China have a consulate in Shanghai and Mumbai.
National Security Adviser MK Narayanan and Executive Vice Minister Dai Bingguo have
held several rounds of talks on the boundary question since the signing of the "Political
Parameters and Guiding Principles" in April last year.
Narayanan last met Bingguo at Xian in China in June this year. After an earlier (March
11-13) round of talks, Narayanan had said he was hopeful of arriving at a framework for
resolution "within the next two to three rounds".
India says China is illegally occupying 43,180 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir, including
5,180 sq km illegally ceded to Beijing by Islamabad under the Sino-Pakistan boundary
agreement in 1963. China accuses India of possessing some 90,000 sq km of Chinese
territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh.
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