China appreciates India's stand on Tibet | World News - Hindustan Times
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China appreciates India's stand on Tibet

PTI | ByRaghavendra, Beijing
Apr 03, 2008 11:47 AM IST

China has appreciated India for urging the Dalai Lama not to engage in political activities that could hurt its ties with Beijing.

China has appreciated India for urging the Dalai Lama not to engage in political activities that could hurt its ties with Beijing, as it briefed New Delhi on the Tibet situation for the second time in less than a week and sought its "continued support" on the issue.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke to his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee over phone and discussed the Tibet issue, bilateral relations and the Olympic Torch relay in New Delhi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told PTI here.

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He said Yang briefed Mukherjee on the recent situation in Tibet and sought India's continued support and understanding while being appreciative of its "right stand" on the matter.

"That is the right stand. We express appreciation for this," Liu said, when asked about Mukherjee's call to the Dalai Lama and his supporters not to engage in "any political activity, any action" that could adversely affect relations between India and China.

Mukherjee had also noted in his remarks on Tuesday that that the Nobel laureate, living in exile in India since 1959 after fleeing Tibet following a failed uprising against China, was a "respected guest" and that India would continue to offer him all hospitality.

Liu said it had been a "consistent stand" of the Indian government and noted that China's State Councilor Dai Bingguo had a "very good" telephonic conversation with his counterpart on the boundary talks when the Indian side conveyed its position in this regard.

Dai had spoken to National Security Adviser M K Narayanan on March 30 when he briefed him on the "violent crimes" in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa following monks-led anti-government protests and "expounded" China's stance on and conveyed its concerns over the Tibet issue.

Narayanan, Dai's counterpart as Special Representative on the boundary talks, was quoted by the state media as having said that Tibet was part of the Chinese territory and India does not allow Tibetans to conduct "anti-China political activities" in the country.

Liu said during the telephonic conversation between Yang and Mukherjee yesterday, they expressed satisfaction over the bilateral relations and "they are determined to work together to push forward the very good China-India relationship."

He said both also discussed the Olympic Torch Relay which would pass through New Delhi on April 17 and expressed their strong commitment for a "very good cooperation" in making it a success.

China had earlier expressed its concerns to India over a smooth passage of the relay amidst fears that Tibetans might attempt to disrupt it. India had assured a trouble-free event.

Official Xinhua news agency, in its report, quoted Mukherjee as having told Yang that "the Tibet Autonomous Region is part of China's territory and India will never tolerate any political anti-China activities by Tibetans on the Indian territory."

Yang also told Mukherjee that it had been proved "and will continue to be proven" that any scheme by the "Dalai Clique," referring to the supporters of the Tibetan spiritual leader, to split and break China was "doomed to failure."

Mukherjee, the report said, also voiced India's full support to Beijing to host an "excellent" Olympic Games, saying, the mega sporting event belongs "to the people of the whole world and India is proud of the fact that this year's Games are going to be held in Asia."

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