Peace at border must for good India-China ties: PM | World News - Hindustan Times
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Peace at border must for good India-China ties: PM

Hindustan Times | BySutirtho Patranobis, Beijing
Oct 22, 2013 05:02 PM IST

In a written interview to Chinese state media, PM Singh said both countries are united in maintaining peace and tranquility along the border as it is a guarantor for further progress in ties. Sutirtho Patranobis reports.

Peace at the disputed border is fundamentally important for healthy bilateral ties between India and China, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said, adding that the leadership of both countries are committed to maintaining it.

Enhancing and dialogue and friendly exchanges between the border troops could also help, the PM said.

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In a written interview to Chinese state media, Singh said both countries are united in maintaining peace and tranquility along the border as it is a guarantor for further progress in ties.

“…both the Governments of India and China are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas. This is an important guarantor and a fundamental basis for further progress and growth in our bilateral ties. The leadership of the two countries is united on this issue,” Singh said.

Singh said both countries have to be sensitive to changing realities and expand the frameworks of engagement reached in 1993, 1996 and 2005 but follow the agreements’ principles.

“As long as we follow the principles and procedures set out in the Agreements of 1993, 1996 and 2005,expand and improve upon them (the agreements) where necessary to take into account the changing reality of India and China and enhance dialogue and friendly exchanges between our border troops, I am confident that the strategic consensus between leaders will continue to be reflected on the ground,” Sing said.

He praised the work of successive Special Representatives of both the countries and said that they have been dealing with a complex and sensitive issue.

“The Special Representatives have worked hard and arrived at the political parameters and guiding principles for a boundary resolution. In the present stage of their negotiations, they are seeking a framework for a boundary resolution,” he said.

On the issue of Chinese investment in India, Prime Minister Singh said that India welcomes FDI from China.

“We are happy that more Chinese firms are looking to India as an investment destination. During his visit to India in May 2013, Premier Li Keqiang suggested that we look at the option of establishing a Chinese Industrial Park in India where companies and firms from China could cluster together. We welcome this idea,” he said.

He added that a few possible sites for a Chinese Industrial Par were shown to a Chinese delegation and the two countries will work together in implementing the idea.

On China's proposal to promote the construction of Bangladesh- China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, Singh said India is promoting regional connectivity for balanced economic and infrastructure development and accelerating integration with its neighbors, including with Southeast Asia.

“We believe that the BCIM Economic Corridor can potentially reinforce our existing connectivity initiatives and we have expressed our support in principle to the idea during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to India,” he said.

He noted that to take the idea forward, India and China need to first get the support of Bangladesh and Myanmar and together study the various practical elements of such a corridor, its alignment, funding, responsibility of member countries, economic potential as well as soft infrastructure requirement.

"Following our agreement during Premier Li's visit to set up a Joint Study Group (JSG) of all four countries, we have set up the Indian component of this JSG. India will participate with great enthusiasm in its deliberations," he said.

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