Once enemies, India and China to cooperate in nuclear energy
Nov 21, 2006 - 11:22:05 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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'President Hu and I appreciate the progress the two Special Representatives have made in their discussions on the boundary question. We are asking them to accelerate their efforts to arrive at a boundary settlement...
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By Indo Asian News Service,
[RxPG] New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) India and China, which fought a fierce border war four decades ago, Tuesday took the path-breaking step to promote cooperation in civil nuclear energy, four days after the US Senate voted for a similar tie-up between Washington and New Delhi.
The announcement was made after 90 minutes of talks between delegations of the two countries, which also decided to speedily end their border dispute and hold regular summit level meetings in a development bound to have an impact on global politics.
And in other measures aimed at promoting strategic cooperation between two of the world's fasted growing economies, India and China agreed to double bilateral trade to $40 billion by 2010, upgrade bilateral ties to a 'qualitatively new level' and open additional consulates-general in Kolkata and Guangzhou in China.
Also, for the first time, their foreign ministers will have a hotline.
'The nature and range of agreements signed today point to the consolidation and diversification of our bilateral relations,' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, hours after ceremonially receiving President Hu Jintao, who arrived Monday on a four-day visit, the first by a Chinese head of state to India in 10 years.
'President Hu and I have agreed that the positive development of India-China relations in recent years must be made irreversible,' he added.
The highlight of Tuesday, the first full day of Hu's trip that was marked by sporadic protests by Tibetans, was the decision by India and China to cooperate in civil nuclear energy.
A joint declaration by the two countries said, among other things, that 'international civil nuclear cooperation to be advanced through innovative and forward looking approaches.'
Manmohan Singh elaborated the point at a press conference he addressed along with Hu. 'Cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy will be promoted.'
The Chinese leader whole-heartedly agreed with the sentiments expressed by Manmohan Singh. And in words reminiscent of the 'Hindi-China Bhai Bhai (Indians and Chinese are brothers)' era of the fifties, he went on to say: 'I convey to the people of India the best wishes of the Chinese people. India is a great country and Indians are a great people.'
'China and India are both major developing countries and our relationship has global significance,' Hu said, adding the two sides will expand cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture and investment.
'Both India and China are fully confident of this relationship,' Hu stressed, referring to the Asian giants that have bit by bit shed the bitterness generated by the 1962 war over territorial claims -- an issue that is unresolved but which no more comes in the way of growing friendship.
India and China agreed to accelerate their efforts to find 'fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution' to the border dispute at an early date.
Next year has also been designated the China-India Friendship Year for Tourism.
The 13 agreements the two countries signed covered diverse areas including protection of bilateral investment, trading of iron ore and export of rice, agriculture, education, forestry and the conservation of cultural heritage.
In his remarks earlier Tuesday after he inspected a military guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace, Hu sounded upbeat as he spoke about further developing 'strategic cooperation' between New Delhi and Beijing.
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Manmohan Singh were on hand to greet Hu, who lasted came to India 22 years ago.
Manmohan Singh said he and Hu had 'cordial, open and constructive talks focusing on our bilateral relations and cooperation on regional and multilateral issues'.
'President Hu and I appreciate the progress the two Special Representatives have made in their discussions on the boundary question. We are asking them to accelerate their efforts to arrive at a boundary settlement...
'We agree that an early boundary settlement will advance the basic interests of the two countries... Such a settlement will invest our strategic partnership with further strength and dynamism.'
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