India and China move to settle the border dispute between the two countries and strengthen economic relations, reports Rajeshree Sisodia in New Delhi Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India this week was acclaimed as a success in terms of improving strategic ties between Asia's two giants. However, the controversial issue of Tibet failed to make it to the political fore. Jiabao, who on Tuesday 11 April left India after a four-day visit, sought to improve relations with New Delhi and strengthen China's economic links with India. The Indian National Security Adviser M K Narayanan on Monday revealed both nations had signed a roadmap to resolve the border dispute, which has soured Sino-India relations for more than 40 years and led to the outbreak of war between the two countries in 1962. "I think it is one of the most significant documents that have been signed between the two countries and it shows a lot of give and take on both sides," said Narayanan commenting on the border dispute roadmap, though he added it was too early to provide details. "We are very hopeful that this document would be the starting point of a major process in the settlement of the boundary dispute between India and China." A "joint statement" by the two nations issued this week did not delve into specifics but touched on the "guiding principles" and "political parameters" needed to resolve the border issue. China, for the first time, also officially gave up its claim to Sikkim, a Himalayan kingdom sandwiched between Nepal, China and Bhutan, which India annexed in 1975. Monday's 11-point border accord came after Wen met Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, architect of India's economic reforms over the last decade. The Chinese prime minister said talks with Singh had also paved the way for a five-year plan for "comprehensive economic co-operation and trade". "China stands ready to work with India to view and handle our bilateral relations from a strategic perspective bearing in mind the larger picture," said Wen. China recently overtook Britain to become India's second largest economic trading partner after the United States. Trade between India and China, the world's two largest growing countries with populations of around 1.1 billion and 1.3 billion respectively, hit the $14 billion mark last year. While Beijing is keen to capitalise on India's world-renowned expertise in Information Technology (IT), New Delhi wants to emulate China's rapid economic expansion. Dubbed the "economic power house of Asia", China's share of world goods exports leapt from two per cent to more than six per cent between 1991 and last year. India's share of world goods exports over the same period grew from only 0.4 to 0.8 per cent. It was against this backdrop that the possibility of a free-trade agreement (FTA) between India and China, and with it the lucrative prospect of unrestricted trade in a $2.4 billion consumer strong market, was also mooted. But the behind the political rhetoric, and Wen's assertions that India and China "would put in a bridge of friendship between the two countries", the politically-sensitive issue of Tibet was largely ignored. In 2003 India officially recognised the "Tibet Autonomous Region" as part of China, a move which sparked anger among pro-Tibet campaigners worldwide. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is head of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, north India. He has represented 120,000 Tibetans in exile from India since the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1950 and has campaigned for Tibetan self-rule.
