‘China can be a mutual friend of India, Pakistan'

[Neo]

‘China can be a mutual friend of India, Pakistan'

Beijing: Advocating closer China-India ties on the lines of China's “all-weather friendship” with Pakistan, a leading State-run newspaper on Sunday said an ‘Asia century' will remain only a dream until the two giants treat each other with mutual trust and respect.

“China wants to build close ties with India like that of its “all-weather friendship” with Pakistan and if Beijing could become the “mutual friend of the Asian rivals” it could contribute more to regional peace and stability,” the China Daily said in a commentary.

“India has always harboured a grudge over China's all-weather friendship with Pakistan. The China-Pakistan relationship is based on mutual trust and mutual support in nation building and international cooperation,” it said.

“To maintain a peaceful external environment, China also wants to build closer ties with India,” the daily said.

“If China could become a mutual friend to the two Asian rivals, it will contribute more to regional peace and stability. This will eventually serve India's interests as well,” it said.

The paper said India must show “real sincerity” in forging a more friendly relationship with China.

The article appeared just days after External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna's visit to Beijing.

The article titled “Gnawing issues in China-India relations,” also highlighted the growing economic exchange between the two countries, pointing out that the first two months of the year saw a 55 per cent increase in bilateral trade as compared to 2009.

This year also marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and China. “All this seems to show that the relationship between the world's two most populous countries is faring well and will grow even stronger. Behind this promising picture, however, a few gnawing issues are till standing in the way between the two titans,” it said.

“If not handled properly, the road ahead for them would not be as smooth as expected,” the paper said, referring to the unresolved boundary dispute across the 2,000-km border.

“Many confrontations between countries have been ignited by disputes in their border area. The two sides should quicken their steps on demarcation consultations that began in the 1980s,” it said. — PTI

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/12/s...1256051400.htm