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Indian FM stresses China-India cooperation

China.org.cn, February 10, 2012

• Indian External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna Wednesay shared his views on China-India ties and the cooperation between the two countries on regional and global issues in an e-mail interview with China.org.cn.

  Indian External Affairs Minister Shri S.M Krishna delivers a speech marking the inauguration of the new Indian embassy building in Beijing, Feb. 8, 2012. [Chen Boyuan/China.org.cn]

  
  
  

  Hailing his country's increasingly closer economic ties with China, Mr. Krishna expressed the hope that 2012 would see China and India continue to deepen business and economic ties.

  "A new positive trend in the economic relationship is that corporates in both countries are now increasingly investing in promising sectors in each other's economies," he said.

  He also expressed concern over his country's trade deficit with China, and voiced his hope that more government initiatives will be forthcoming to ensure a balanced trade relationship between the two countries.

  China is currently India's largest trade partner and India is China's fourth largest trade partner. Bilateral trade between the two countries hit US$74 billion in 2011. Both countries have vowed to increase their trade volume to US$100 billion by 2015.

  Commenting on military ties between the two countries, Mr. Krishna said he is looking forward to further enhancing military cooperation with China.

  Last December Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ma Xiaotian and Indian Defense Secretary Shashikant Sharma successfully held the Annual Defense Dialogue after an almost two-year hiatus of military cooperation between the two countries.

  In January this year an Indian military delegation paid a successful visit to China and the Political Commissar of the Tibet Military District also led a delegation to India. The area has long been a source of tension between China and India.

  "The boundary question remains under discussion," Mr. Krishna said. "There is no denying the fact that it is a difficult issue."

  Mr. Krishna added that pending the resolution of the boundary problem, peace and tranquility would be maintained along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the China-India border areas.

  This January the two countries held the 15th round of border talks and signed an agreement in New Delhi on establishing a working mechanism for consultation and coordination over border issues.

  Commenting on the talks, Mr. Krishna said: "This mechanism is a significant step forward in the direction of maintenance of peace and tranquility along the India-China border."

  Mr. Krishna confirmed that the working mechanism will address issues and situations that may arise in border areas which affect the maintenance of peace and tranquility. He stated that it would also work tirelessly with the aim of maintaining the friendly atmosphere which exists between the two countries.

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