When China reciprocates Narendra Modi on bilateral relations
By Milind Arolkar
Beijing, February 25: While Indian media has been carrying news regarding refutal of Modi by China, a fact search reveals that the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson has actually reciprocated Narendra Modi’s stand on India China bilateral relations for peace and development, good-neighbourliness and friendly relations.
The otherwise adamant and aggressive China spoke on the same line of Narendra Modi that China should strengthen bilateral ties with India for peace, progress and prosperity of both the nations. Taking a soft route on BJP’s Prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s 'advice', China's Foreign Ministry preferred to play down his remarks that shed its expansionist mindset and the disputed territory of Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India.
Addressing a rally at Passighat in Arunachal Pradesh, Modi had said that China that the dragon should shed its expansionist policy and forge bilateral ties with India for peace, progress and prosperity of both the nations.
When in a daily press briefing on 24 February, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was asked about Modi's comments, upholding the same line of Narendra Modi, she said that China was dedicated to promoting friendly relations with its neighbours and to resolving disputes through talks.
What Chinese Foreign ministry spokesperson actually said?
<!-- Inject Script Filtered -->"The China-India border issue is one that has been left over from history. That being said, it is quite a complex and sensitive problem. It cannot be resolved by one or two rounds of talks," she told the daily news briefing.
Hua Chunying added that it is important for China and India who have expressed many times their determination and desire to peacefully resolve the dispute through talks, dialogue and consultation.
Before a final resolution is reached, both sides should work hard to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border, Hua said.
"The fact that there have been no shots fired in so many years really shows that both sides have the desire and ability to maintain peace and stability on the border."
China’s otherwise arrogance was missing on replying on Modi’s remarks. It is noteworthy that Narendra Modi and China share a healthy relation which was visible when China invited Narendra Modi who visited China in November 2011.
Modi had suggested China that it should strengthen mutual relations with its neighbours and not express the ‘Vistar Vadi’ mindset.
Notably, Harsh V. Pant, an expert on China-India relations at King's College London, tells Wall Street Journal about the softening of China. Pant said, "China has toned down its rhetoric against India in anticipation of a new Indian government. He said, Beijing is concerned about India's newly forming partnerships with Japan and others in the region.
"China might be calculating that further pushing India into the arms of its regional adversaries might not be in its best interest, at least in the short term," he told WSJ.
India and China fought a brief border war in 1962 over the region at the eastern end of the Himalayas. The nuclear-armed neighbours signed a pact in October to ensure that differences on their shared border do not spark a confrontation.
Earlier, President Pranab Mukherjee described Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of the country on a visit last November, sparking a heated exchange. China urged India not to aggravate problems on their shared border.
India regularly holds elections in Arunachal Pradesh, which has been administered as part of the Indian state for decades. China questions India's claim to the territory and calls it South Tibet.