Latest Politics News and Updates: All issues on table, 'productive start' as India, China FMs talk

Sunday, June 8, 2014

All issues on table, 'productive start' as India, China FMs talk - Financial Express

Shubhajit Roy | New Delhi | Updated: Jun 09 2014, 06:13 IST

SummaryIndia and China discussed all �perennials� of their engagement, including the border issue and economic ties, in Beijing�s first interaction with the Narendra Modi administration, here on Sunday.

India and China discussed all �perennials� of their engagement, including the border issue and economic ties, in Beijing�s first interaction with the Narendra Modi administration, here on Sunday.

India described the bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, lasting 3 hours and 10 minutes, as a �very productive beginning�.

Wang, according to the MEA spokepserson, was �effusive in his praise� for the new Indian government and said that it had �injected new vitality into an ancient civilisation�. �He said that the international community was closely following developments in India. The Chinese and Indian dreams have a lot of commonalities, China welcomes the development of India, China supports the development of India, and is ready to engage with the new government of India,� Syed Akbaruddin said.

Sources said an assertive Swaraj put across the NDA government�s position on all issues of significance, from the complex boundary issue to the lopsided trade relations, from Pakistan ties to the nuclear activities.

She welcomed Wang in Mandarin (Reliye Huanying Nin), and concluded the meeting with xie xie (thank you). Over the course of the meeting, which continued over lunch, she used a mix of Hindi and English. The choice of the newly built Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan, the MEA headquarters, over the traditional Hyderabad House as the venue may have been a conscious one to project a new, modern face. Later, Wang visited the National Museum located opposite the Bhavan.

The Chinese Foreign minister will be calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.

The MEA spokesperson described the �tone, tenor and trajectory� of the talks as �cordial, useful, comprehensive, covering all important issues, substantive and productive�.

Elaborating, Akbaruddin said, �China is a neighbour with whom we share a long border. Our neighbourhood as you are aware is a major focus of the government�s diplomatic engagement. China is also a major economy and our bilateral economic ties are of a significant magnitude. The perennials of India-China engagement are well known... all issues of significance were raised and discussed in a frank manner.�

He asserted that Swaraj also made it clear that while there was a determination to add new content and substance to the relationship, respect for each other�s �sensitivities and aspirations� was �essential for expansion of bilateral relations�.

Asked specifically whether Depsang-like situation on the border was discussed, he said: �Nothing of perennial nature was missed out.� He also replied

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