National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said on Tuesday India and China had made “considerable progress” on the border dispute as both countries reviewed the past decade of negotiations on the boundary question over two days of talks here.
Mr. Menon and Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, his counterpart as the Special Representative on the talks, have prepared a “common understanding” report reviewing the negotiations, which will be submitted to the leaders of both countries. The exercise is part of an effort to ensure continuity in the talks following the retirement of Mr. Dai in March, as China completes a sweeping once-in-ten-year leadership change.
“What we tried to do in the common understanding is to say where we are today,” Mr. Menon told reporters. “We found, overall, when we looked at the relationship and discussions on the boundary that we have already made considerable progress”.
Both sides “sat together and confirmed” the common understanding on the talks and will report it to their respective leaders. “We have increased the area of understanding between us steadily, thanks to the SR process,” he said.
Mr. Menon and Mr. Dai on Monday held wide-ranging talks, not only on the border but looking at the overall relationship in the context of the leadership transition in China and wider strategic issues of common concern. On Tuesday morning, Mr. Menon met with top Chinese leader Wu Bangguo, who is the head of the National People’s Congress (NPC),
Mr. Menon described his two-day visit as “useful, good and timely” and aimed at “taking stock” of the relationship. “We have handled the relationship well, the border is peaceful and we have made progress towards a settlement,” he said. “There is work still to be done, both sides recognise that, and we have not allowed the boundary to prevent all-round development of relations”.
After 15 rounds of talks between the SRs, India and China are currently in the second of an agreed-upon three-stage process, which involves the complicated task of agreeing to a framework to settle the boundary question in all sectors.
Mr. Menon played down the comments made by Navy Chief Admiral D.K. Joshi on Monday stating the Navy was prepared to go to the South China Sea to protect India’s economic interests. He said the media had “manufactured” a story by getting the Navy Chief to comment on the matter.
The Chinese side, Mr. Menon said, did not raise the issue in Tuesday’s talks. The recent spat between both countries on passports also did not figure in the discussions.
India has declared itself ready to deploy naval vessels to the South China Sea to protect its oil-exploration interests there, a potential new escalation of tensions in a disputed area where fears of armed conflict have been growing steadily.
India’s naval chief made the statement on Monday
Indian Navy Chief Admiral D.K Joshi said that, while India was not a territorial claimant in the South China Sea, it was prepared to act, if necessary, to protect its maritime and economic interests in the region.
“When the requirement is there, for example, in situations where our country’s interests are involved, for example ONGC … we will be required to go there and we are prepared for that,” Joshi told a news conference.
“Now, are we preparing for it? Are we having exercises of that nature? The short answer is yes,” he said.
Admiral Joshi described the modernization of China’s navy as “truly impressive” and a source of major concern for India.
“It is one of the most important international waterways and freedom of navigation there is an issue of utmost concern to India because a large portion of India’s trade is through the South China Sea,” said Brahma Chellaney, an analyst at the Centre for Policy Research, in New Delhi.
National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon on Monday held talks in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart and other senior Chinese diplomats on various bilateral issues, including border.
Mr Menon, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday on a three-day visit, The NSA is expected to call on Vice Premier Li Keqiang, the number two leader in the seven-member new Standing Committee of the party, headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, who succeeded Mr Hu.
Their meeting was not formally notified as 16th round of border talks apparently due to Mr Dai’s impending retirement.
