HANOI: (AMN) India and China have agreed to maintain peace and stability in their border.jpg)
areas. Both sides agreed to take into consideration each other’s concerns, and work for an equitable and justified settlement of border issues that was acceptable to both sides.
The prime ministers of both the countries meet here on Friday discus wide range of issue concerning both the countries
India and China are friends and partners, not rivals, said Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during his meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao.
Dr Manmohan Singh also raised all the issues of stapled visa, trade imbalance and boundary question with his Chinese counterpart.
Wen said China and India were the world’s two most populous countries with long histories, their cooperation and development were of great significance to the whole world, Wen said, adding both sides should unswervingly maintain their friendship, promote political trust, and steadily consolidate their strategic cooperative partnership.
He said China was willing to work with India to give full play to bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and strive for a continuous growth of trade and investment by enlarging the areas and innovating the forms of their cooperation.
The Chinese Premier indicated that he would visit India by the year end. The two special representatives on the boundary question will also meet by the end of next month.
Briefing media on the meeting which lasted about 45 minutes, National Security advisor Shiv Shankar Menon said the special representatives and officials on both sides have been instructed to prepare for Wen Jiabao’s visit and work their way to solutions to all the issues that are difficult in their relationship including the boundary question. Elaborating on the discussion on the boundary question Menon said that the two sides look forward to early solution on the issue. They also said that pending a settlement of the issue the two sides will maintain peace and tranquility along their boundaries.
In reply to a question on the issue of trade balance, which is heavily in favour of China, Menon said the Wen Jiabao stated that they are conscious of it and they have taken certain steps to address it.
Meanwhile both prime ministers agreed to maintain peace and stability in their border areas. Based on the spirit of peace and friendship, equality and consultation, and mutual respect and understanding, India and India would take into consideration each other’s concerns, and work for an equitable and justified settlement of border issues that was acceptable to both sides.