Sonia Gandhi, the President of Indian National Congress will be here in Beijing on October 25th, 07 to meet Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao who has just been named head of the ruling party for a second term.
India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also willl be arriving tommorrow in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang province to attend the trilateral – India, China and Russia – foreign ministers’ meeting and they have lots on their agenda.
According to a Congress Secretary,
”The Chinese communist party has clarified that it appreciates the role of the Congress party in building up a good relationship between the two countries. Its invitation to the Congress president was an endorsement of it”.
We bring to you this Article from Rediff.com by Anil K Joseph, China Correspondent for Press Trust of India Beijing on what’s the entire visit about and the history of similar meetings before.
“….Both sides should expand the bilateral exchanges and cooperation, so as to benefit the people of the two countries as well as promoting peace and development in Asia and the world at large,” Hu said in his message to his Indian counterpart.
“I am willing to work hard together with you on enhancing the Sino-Indian strategic cooperative partnership, and to open this new chapter of friendship of good- neighbourliness and all-round cooperation between two countries in the new …
Read more HERE
This was Ms. Gandhi’s second visit to China after 1996.
What an interesting time for this visit. With all of the tension regarding the Nuclear deal in Delhi, the Congress’ key people are heading to China. I have not seen any coverage in the western press of the Harbin meeting between India, China and Russia. I will be eager to see if any statements/accords come out of it.
In future, the relationship between India and China will be a key diplomatic determinant for the stability of the region. Historical differences over the India-China border are just the first part – there is also the China-Pakistan deal over Kashmir, the Karakoram Highway, the technology sharing between China and Pakistan, the Chinese influence on militants in India’s NE provinces, Chinese influence in Bangladesh and Burma…should I go on?
It seems as though the US is finally reviewing its relationship with the various powers in Pakistan…although any destabilising in Pakistan unfotunately translates to more terror attacks in India. India and China have common ground in fighting terrorists infiltrating/gaining support through porous borders (think Xinjiang). India and China should act now to strengthen their borders ahead of any further destabilisation in Pakistan and the spread of terror groups.
Quite an interesting comment, Mr. Shourik.
The visit will be useful for both countries in various ways
China’s support not only at the NSG but as well with the Communist parties in India would be useful.
Today the China’s CPC has realtions with almost all Indian poilitical parties and other parties around the world. Great going China in shielding itself from all coners and also maintaing that growth rate!