STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT TO
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
In a statement
at the conclusion of the Prime Minister’s six-day visit to the
People’s Republic of China, Shri Vajpayee reiterated the importance
of the decision to establish a Joint Study Group of economists
and officials for the expansion of economic cooperation in existing
areas and its diversification into new areas between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also pointed to the common position on terrorism
reflected in the Joint Declaration. Shri Vajpayee made it clear
that there is no ambiguity or inconsistency in our position on
the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China.
He also expressed the hope that the initiative of appointment
of India’s National Security Advisor as Special Representative
would accelerate the solution to the vexed boundary dispute between
India and China.
The following
is the full text of the Prime Minister’s statement at the conclusion
of his visit to China:
"I have
completed an important visit to People’s Republic of China.
In my statement
on departure from Delhi, I had said that there is a compelling
geographical, political and economic logic for closer relations
between our two countries. My discussions with President Hu Jintao,
Chairman Jiang Zemin, Premier Wen Jiabao and other senior representatives
of the new Chinese leadership were most cordial and fruitful.
We got the distinct message from these meetings that China fully
reciprocates our desire for mutual goodwill and for a comprehensive
expansion of our cooperation in all areas. We were also in agreement
that cooperative relations between India and China would be a
positive force in the search for a multi-polar world order. All
my interlocutors stressed that the current global situation requires
India and China to work together.
We have concluded
10 Agreements and a Joint Declaration on the principles of development
of our relations. The Agreements reaffirm our efforts to diversify
our bilateral cooperation into new areas. The Joint Declaration
sets out our shared perspectives on the future lines of development
of this relationship. You will note that our common position on
terrorism is reflected in the Joint Declaration.
Among the important
steps discussed was of course the settlement of the India-China
boundary question. Both countries have been discussing principles,
which are to be followed for an eventual boundary settlement.
Premier Wen Jiabao
and I agreed that these discussions can be given an impetus exploring
the framework of a boundary settlement from the political perspective
of the overall bilateral relationship, and to appoint Special
Representatives for this purpose. As you are aware, our National
Security Advisor would be the Special Representative from India.
China has also appointed its Special Representative. We hope this
new initiative will accelerate the search for a solution to this
vexed problem.
Premier Wen Jiabao
and I also agreed that the joint work on clarification of the
Line of Actual Control should continue smoothly. We also agreed
that peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control should
continue to be maintained.
The decision
to establish a Joint Study Group of economists and officials is
particularly significant for the expansion of our economic cooperation
in existing areas and its diversification into new areas. The
Joint Study Group will identify areas of meaningful economic potential
and recommend concrete measures to the two governments to facilitate
increase in bilateral trade, promote investments and to exploit
bilateral and multilateral opportunities for joint economic efforts
by India and China.
We have signed
a border trade protocol with China to add a third border crossing
point for our trade with China. With this protocol, which would
enable trade between Sikkim and Tibet, we have also started the
process by which Sikkim will cease to be an issue in India-China
relations.
There has been
much discussion and debate on our position on Tibet, as reflected
in the Joint Declaration. I do not wish to go into long and tedious
explanations or analyses of words. I would only like to state
that there is no ambiguity or inconsistency in our position on
the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China.
We were therefore happy to reiterate our position in the Joint
Declaration.
Besides my own
interactions with Chinese leadership, our Minister of Commerce
and Industry has had discussions with his counterparts and with
other agencies in Beijing. The Minister of Communications and
Information Technology had a number of meetings here in Shanghai.
I addressed business meetings in both cities and our Ministers
had extensive interactive sessions with the Chinese business representatives.
The business delegation accompanying me on this visit was one
of the largest of all my visits abroad. I believe that there is
a new awareness in business and industrial circles of both countries
of the potential in our economic relationship.
We have to build
on these positive elements to enhance mutual trust and understanding
between our two countries and maximize the mutual benefits from
our bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
It was an uplifting
experience for me to see in Luoyang the Longmen grottos and the
Temple that marks the arrival of the first Buddhist monks from
India to China with Buddhist teachings. I was deeply impressed
by the exquisite carvings and the impressive statues of the Buddha,
which remind us of an important dimension of the India-China connection."
