Premier Zhu Meets Indian Foreign Minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 31, 2002

Premier Zhu Meets Indian Foreign Minister

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Premier Zhu Meets Indian Foreign Minister

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said Saturday in Taiyuan that China and India are the largest developing countries of the world, and developing Sino-Indian relations is important for both the region and the world.

Zhu said at a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh that both China and India are populous nations, and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between them will be conducive to the progress and prosperity of human society.

Enhancing long-term, stable and healthy relations with India is a consistent policy of the Chinese government, he said.

Zhu recalled his visit to India last January, saying that the successful visit demonstrates that the two countries and their people have a strong aspiration to promote traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

China and India are witnessing rapid economic development and pushing forward economic reform, thus they should learn from each other to promote cooperation.

Zhu noted that there still exist some differences and problems between the two countries and bilateral relations have witnessed ups and downs, however. But all problems can be settled through consultation if the two sides fully consider the general situationof Sino-Indian relations and follow the spirit of promoting mutual understanding and compromise.

Singh said that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expects to pay an official visit to China in this year to maintain the development momentum of bilateral relations, which Zhu said hehas been looking forward to.

He noted that Zhu's visit to India early this year was successful, and Indian-Chinese relations are developing in the correct direction.

Singh said that his talks and meeting with Chinese officials Friday were fruitful, adding that both sides had reached a consensus on enhancing mutual trust.

The Indian foreign minister said bilateral relations have got on a way of positive development, which will not only benefit the two countries and their people, but it will also be important to regional peace and development.

Singh said that he is pleased to visit Shanxi Province, which allows him to learn some about western China, and that he agreed to Zhu's view on bilateral relations.

India and China have set as principal objectives to remove poverty and increase the living standard of the people, but the level of trade and economic exchanges between the two countries does not match the great potential both sides have.

He expressed hope that the two countries would further promote economic and trade cooperation, taking as a starting point the direct flight which began Thursday.

Mutual Trust Stressed

In the meeting with Jaswant Singh Friday, Vice Premier Qian Qichen said that both China and India are countries with ancient civilization, and their people want to enhance friendship and cooperation.

Qian said it is significant that the two countries have starteda direct air route, which opens a new way to maintain bilateral contact. And business people from both countries can seek cooperative partners.

He said that there lies great potential for China and India to cooperate with each other, and that the two countries should further exchanges in all fields.

Qian noted that it is impossible for China and India to be in conflict in any situation, although differences do exist between them, as both are important nations in Asia.

Indian leaders have reaffirmed that they do not consider China a threat, Qian said, adding that China has never thought of India as a threat either.

China and India, both developing countries, have a developing economy in common and therefore should concentrate on economic development and consolidate their cooperation in regional and international affairs while safeguarding regional peace and stability.

Singh said that peaceful co-existence and more cooperation arecommon tasks for both India and China, and they should contribute to world peace and human development.

He said that differences inevitably exist between the two countries, but they must not affect bilateral ties. The two sides should step out of the shadows cast by history and face the futurewith enhanced cooperation.

He noted that economic and trade cooperation between the two countries needs to be improved, and the Indian government has madeefforts to remove the obstacles which affect the cooperation.

Chinese, Indian FMs Hold "Friendly, Candid" Talks

Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan told Singh that China is expecting the formal visit of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to China later this year.

He said that bilateral relations had maintained a high momentum,and Premier Zhu Rongji's visit to India January had further promoted ties between the two countries.

Such reciprocal high-level visits should be maintained, Tang said.

Both China and India, the two largest developing countries in the world, have broad common interests in advancing the multi-polarization process, protecting interests of developing countriesand working to forge a new international order, said Tang.

Both countries should strengthen mutually beneficial economic cooperation, while actively promoting the process of resolving border issues through negotiations, Tang stressed.

Singh, who came to Beijing by the first flight from India to China Friday, said that both India and China should not view each other as threat because they do not have fundamental interest conflicts, but face the common challenges of wiping out poverty and developing their economies.

He said that both countries should further increase cooperationin international affairs against hegemonism and power politics.

Singh also stressed that India would, as always, hold to the principle of "one China" and would never allow the Dalai Lama Tibetan clique to launch political activities in its territory.

Both foreign ministers discussed details on solving remaining historical issues between the two countries, and reached consensus.

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