INDIA-CHINA XI/MODI STATEMENTS/PROTEST China not warlike, says Xi, as border standoff dominates India trip

Record ID: 1374696

  • Title: INDIA-CHINA XI/MODI STATEMENTS/PROTEST China not warlike, says Xi, as border standoff dominates India trip
  • Date: 18th September 2014
  • Summary: KANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 18, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC/ARD) PROTESTERS HOLDING POSTERS, SHOUTING SLOGANS AGAINST CHINA CARTONS WITH 'MADE IN CHINA' WRITTEN ON THEM POSTER OF CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING PROTESTERS BURNING CHINESE PRODUCTS PROTEST CHINESE PRODUCTS BEING BURNT PROTEST
  • Embargoed: 4th October 2014 07:12
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAE0JZ472OULXTTWEEM9SB403UR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A border standoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers overshadowed a visit to New Delhi by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday (September 18), with a $20 billion investment pledge eclipsed by robust comments from India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the dispute.
    Modi and Xi emerged from a long meeting to address reporters soon after officials confirmed that soldiers had pulled back from their positions on a plateau in the western Himalayas that is claimed by both nations.
    "I expressed concern over the incidents on the border and said that it is important to solve them. We agree that on the border area, peace and stability are important for the strong foundation of our trust and relations. It is an important agreement between the two nations. It should be strictly followed. We should solve the boundary issue at the earliest," said a stern Modi, with Xi sitting to his right.
    Dozens of soldiers from both sides had faced off on the Ladakh plateau for over a week in a dispute about infrastructure works near the de facto border, where the two countries fought a brief war in 1962.
    Raising hopes for a new push to resolve their territorial differences, Modi called for an early border settlement with China. The two sides have held 17 rounds of border talks since the early 1990s without making significant progress. Modi has yet to appoint a special envoy to restart the talks.
    "We have benefited from our border issue agreements and confidence building measures. I have also suggested that for peace and stability, LAC (Line of Actual Control) clarification can contribute in a big way. This issue has been pending for many years and this work should be started again," added Modi, a nationalist elected in May partly on promises to build a more assertive India.
    In his comments, Xi played down the tensions and agreed with Modi that they should work to settle the border question, using language China has used in the past.
    "The two sides agreed to continue to be respectful of and sensitive to each others' concerns and appropriately handle the outstanding issues between China and India in a positive attitude. The China India boundary question is an issue leftover from history. Over many years the two sides have made steady and positive progress in their boundary negotiations through friendly consultation.
    Despite the tension, the two sides were able to agree on investments aimed at significantly upgrading their commercial relationship, with China pledging $20 billion over the next five years for industrial parks and infrastructure including railway technology.
    That contrasts with just $400 million in Chinese investment in India over the last 14 years.
    The leaders agreed to begin talks on cooperating in the nuclear power industry and Xi said China would support India becoming a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - a regional security body whose largest members are China and Russia.
    He also supported India's aspiration to play a greater role at the United Nations, including on the Security Council.
    "The two sides agreed to work together to steer regional cooperation and advance the efforts to build the BCIM economic corridor involving Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar. And we will support each other's participation in regional and sub-regional cooperation. China and India will act as trade engines in spearheading economic growth in the region and adding to the development and prosperity of our region."
    Traders in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, on Thursday, staged a protest against Xi and called for boycotting Chinese products.
    The traders burnt Chinese products, urging the federal government to modify its trade policies with China since large scale import of Chinese products hampers their business.
    Xi has pledged to give Indian companies and products - especially including those made by the pharmaceutical, farming and fuel industries - greater access to Chinese markets.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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