Minister leaving for India to boost ties

By Tan Yingzi (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-21 07:27

While recent disputes over historical border issues with India continue to foment, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will hold talks with his Indian counterpart to boost a strategic cooperative partnership next Tuesday in Bangalore.

In attendance for a meeting among foreign ministers from China, India and Russia, Yang will talk separately with Indian foreign minister S.M. Krishna over bilateral ties and common regional and international issues, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu said at a press conference yesterday.

"The two sides have agreed to use the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries next year to push forward a strategic cooperative partnership with a series of activities, including two national festivals," he said.

But the relationship between the two countries has been challenged by a series of historical border issues. So far, 13 rounds of border talks have been held between the two.

Last week, China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction" over an Indian leader's visit to a disputed border region. Indian media reports said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh toured and addressed an election rally in the so-called "Arunachal Pradesh."

China and India, the two largest developing countries and Asian neighbors, have witnessed rapid growth in their relationship in recent years and have forged a strategic cooperative partnership.

Sun Shihai, an Indian studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said bilateral ties are maturing with border talks and growing cooperation between the two countries.

"But the two sides still lack enough trust, so it is normal to see some problems emerge now and then," Sun said.

He suggested the two sides should calm down to "take some flexible approaches to tackle the problems."