Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday expressed concern to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) about “incidents” on the two countries’ disputed border, as a standoff between troops at the frontier overshadowed talks.
“I expressed concern on the incidents on the border and said peace and tranquility on the border is the foundation for good relations,” Modi said after formal talks with Xi.
“[Xi] agreed that the boundary question must be resolved soon,” he added, as reports said hundreds of troops were facing off along the disputed border in the Ladakh region.
Photo: Reuters
The two countries have long been embroiled in a bitter dispute over their border, and both sides regularly accuse soldiers of crossing into the other’s territory.
Xi said China was committed to working with India to maintain “peace and tranquility” on the border.
“We also have the sincerity to work with India to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas before we are finally able to settle the border question,” Xi said. “We are respectful of each other’s concerns.”
An Indian army official who asked not to be named said there was “an ongoing situation” with Chinese soldiers in Ladakh, without giving further details.
A Ladakh lawmaker said about 1,000 Chinese troops had crossed into the Indian side of the disputed area on Wednesday as Xi began his visit.
“The government has sent reinforcements,” said the lawmaker, who also asked not to be named.
Asked about the incident at a news conference in Beijing yesterday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei (洪磊) said it was now under control.
“China and India attach great importance to the incident that you mention. With immediate and effective communication, this has been effectively controlled and managed,” he said. “China hopes to continue to work with the Indian side to safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area, and solve the border issue through consultation and dialogue.”
At an official welcome ceremony yesterday at the Indian president’s palace in central New Delhi, Xi hailed the benefits of stronger ties to “bring benefits to the 2.5 billion people in China and India.”
“During this visit, I hope to work with the Indian leadership to be strong advocates of China-India relations and to partner with each other to take our strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity to a higher plane,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mumbai yesterday, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said Xi was “more open-minded” than former Chinese president Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), and would be able to “learn more things from India.”
The Dalai Lama supports “meaningful autonomy” for Tibet within China rather than outright independence, but China accuses him of covertly campaigning for Tibet’s independence.
Tibetan students protested against China outside the venue where Xi and Modi held talks, shouting slogans before being taken away by police.
Xi has pledged greater investment from China, already India’s biggest trading partner, with annual two-way trade worth more than US$65 billion.
India has been pushing for more investment to narrow its trade deficit with China, which has soared to more than US$40 billion from just US$1 billion in 2001 to 2002.
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