China and India agreed yesterday to seek a resolution on the
pending boundary issue and vowed to strengthen their partnership to
combat climate change.
The agreement was reached at President Hu Jintao's meting with
the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Berlin yesterday, on
the sidelines of the G8 summit's outreach session in
Heiligendamm.
"Sino-Indian relations are on the fast track," Hu said. China
hopes "both sides can step up talks on the border issue in the
spirit of peace and friendship, equal consultation as well as
mutual respect and understanding" to seek a mutually acceptable
solution at the earliest, he said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and Indian National Security
Advisor M.K. Narayanan have been tasked with finding a fair and
mutually acceptable solution to the dispute. Ten rounds of talks
have been held on the issue since 2003, with the latest taking
place this April in India.
Calling China the "greatest neighbor", Singh said India wanted
the "strongest relationship" with Beijing and would do "everything
possible" to cement the ties.
The two countries have agreed in principle to settle the border
issue, and India is ready to make more efforts to find a practical
solution, he said.
According to the Indian media, Singh could visit China later
this year, further boosting the two countries' ties.
On climate change, the burning issue on the G8 summit agenda, Hu
said China and India, both densely populated developing nations,
have been affected by global warming and made consistent efforts to
achieve sustainable development. "China expects to intensify
exchanges and cooperation with India on climate change."
In response, Singh said his country holds a position similar to
that of China on the issue and is willing to strengthen
coordination with its northern neighbor.
Hu's meeting with Singh was among a series of others he had with
leaders of developing nations, who have been invited by German
Chancellor Angela Merkel to attend the dialogue meeting between the
G8 members and the developing countries.
Hu also met with the presidents of Nigeria, South Africa,
Senegal and Mexico, Umaru Yar'Adua, Thabo Mbeki, Abdoulaye Wade and
Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa, respectively.
(China Daily June 8, 2007)