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| China and India agree border issue should not affect bilateral ties | |
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 Students in New Delhi, India, pose for photos with their Chinese calligraphy works while attending a dialogue with Chinese taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station on April 20, 2023 (XINHUA)
Being two ancient civilization-states in Asia, China and India, the world's two most populous developing countries, enjoy historical interactions that have transcended even the formidable barrier of the Himalayas. However, the border issue between them has persisted unresolved, hindering bilateral cooperation and triggering widespread concerns about its negative effects on regional peace and stability. Encouragingly, both sides made good progress toward reaching a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution in 2024. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had their first meeting in five years on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, last October. The face-to-face interactions between the leaders set the stage for a narrowing of differences, greater consensus-building, ease, cooperation, peace and tranquility in the border areas, Zhang Yongpan, a researcher with the Institute of Borderland Studies, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told newspaper China Daily. On December 18 last year, both governments' special representatives on the boundary question held their 23rd meeting—the first in five years—in Beijing and reached a six-point consensus. During the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, held in-depth and constructive talks with Indian National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval. They agreed to continue taking measures to safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, and to continue seeking a package of solutions to the boundary question that is fair, reasonable and acceptable to both in accordance with the political guiding principles reached in 2005. The detente between China and India serves the interests of both nations, Wang Shida, a researcher with the Institute for South Asian Studies of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said. "With each nation home to over 1.4 billion people, development should be the greatest common denominator between the two neighbors," he said, adding the resumption of talks is crucial for unlocking the potential for cooperation across a wide range of fields. Negotiations matter According to Lin Minwang, Deputy Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at the Shanghai-based Fudan University, the six-point consensus is actually a reconfirmation of achievements made since the establishment of the special representatives' meeting mechanism in 2003, including the political guiding principles on the settlement of the boundary question reached two years later. "The resumption of the special representatives' meeting sends a signal that both sides are willing and confident to resolve border disputes through peaceful negotiations," Long Xingchun, a professor at the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University, told newspaper Global Times. It is beneficial for fostering mutual trust between the two countries and contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border regions, he added. Qian Feng, Director of the Research Department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, pointed out that the special representatives' meeting was held soon after the Kazan meeting between Xi and Modi, indicating that both sides are working to resolve the border issue and taking actions to further restore mutual trust. "This is a positive sign the two sides are facilitating the early return of China-India relations to a healthy track," he said. The two sides have also agreed to further refine the rules for border area management and strengthen the implementation of trust-building measures, continue enhancing cross-border exchange and cooperation to promote the resumption of Indian pilgrims' visits to China's Xizang Autonomous Region, and to further strengthen the construction of the special representatives' meeting mechanism. According to the consensus, a new round of the special representatives' meeting will be held in India later this year. "In a sense, the special representatives' meeting has become a strategic dialogue between China and India as its agenda covers many aspects of bilateral relations," Lin said. Sound relations needed Since 2020, China and India have held 21 rounds of China-India Corps Commander-Level Meetings and 32 meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs. The two militaries had agreed to disengage at four key points, namely the Galwan Valley, the Pangong Lake, Hot Springs and Jianan Daban, contributing to the deescalation of tensions along the border, Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a press conference in early 2024. "The border issue should not continue to affect the normal progress of China-India relations in any aspect," Wang Shida said, adding the issue is highly sensitive because it involves historical perceptions, national sentiments and the integrity of sovereignty, and the process of its resolution has not been straightforward. As early as 1988, during former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China, Chinese and Indian leaders agreed to resolve the border issue through consultations in a peaceful and friendly manner. However, while China has always abided by its commitments, some Indian politicians have adopted counterproductive policies toward bilateral relationship. According to Zhang, India has intensified its scrutiny of Chinese investments, disrupted direct flights and imposed a near-total ban on visas for Chinese nationals in recent years. "However, these measures backfired, leading to substantial economic setbacks for India," he said. The border issue remains a lingering challenge stemming from a bygone era of colonialism and hegemony. It can be easily exploited by various forces to strain China-India relations, Zhang warned. Wang Shida's views echoed those of Zhang. The two neighbors should view and handle their relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, not let specific differences affect the overall ties, he said. Both must actively pursue avenues to bolster people-to-people exchange, engage in dialogue and foster mutual understanding, Zhang said, adding that while striving for closer ties, India and China must address their challenges with wisdom and diplomacy. "It is in the best interest of both countries to steer back toward cooperation and mutual trust, and this trajectory reflects the shared aspiration of peace-loving individuals worldwide," he concluded. (Print Edition Title: Positive Signals on the Rise) Copyedited by G.P. Wilson Comments to mamm@cicgamericas.com ------ Political Guiding Principles for Solving the Border Issue Between China and India —The border issue should be resolved through peaceful and friendly means, rather than resorting to force or threat of force. The two countries will work on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, proceed from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relations and seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the issue through consultations on an equal footing. —In the spirit of mutual respect and understanding, the two countries will make meaningful and mutually acceptable adjustments on our respective claim on the issue, so as to find a package solution. We will take into consideration each other's strategic and reasonable interests and the principle of equal security for both. —We will take into account both sides' historical evidence, national sentiments, actual difficulties, legitimate concerns, sensitive factors and the actual conditions in border areas. The border should be demarcated along a distinctly-marked and conspicuous geographical feature agreed upon by both sides. All necessary interests and benefits of the residents of both countries living in the border area should be protected. —Pending the final settlement of the issue, the two sides should respect and conform to the line of actual control in real earnest, and make joint efforts to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. |
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