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Indian and Chinese Premiers Pledge Cooperation on Border Issues Indian and Chinese Premiers Pledge Cooperation on Border Issues
(about 3 hours later)
NEW DELHI — The prime ministers of India and China papered over their recent border dispute on Monday with a friendly joint statement and an array of promises for future economic and military cooperation. NEW DELHI — The leaders of India and China papered over their recent border spat on Monday with a friendly joint statement and an array of promises for economic and military cooperation, but there were no breakthroughs on their touchiest issues.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India emphasized in his remarks that friendly relations between the Asian giants depended on “peace and tranquillity on our borders.” The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, emphasized in his remarks that cordial relations between the two countries depended on “peace and tranquillity on our borders,” and said that he and his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, “agreed that this must continue to be preserved.”
“While seeking an early resolution of the boundary question, Premier Li and I agreed that this must continue to be preserved,” Mr. Singh said, referring to Prime Minister Li Keqiang, who offered reassurance about the border difficulties. Mr. Li, who arrived in India on Sunday, offered some reassurances about the border difficulties, but he made no apology for Chinese troops’ recent incursion into a district of Kashmir claimed by India.
“Both sides believe we need to improve various border-related mechanisms that we have put into place and make them more efficient, and we need to appropriately manage and resolve our differences,” said Mr. Li, who arrived Sunday in India for his first overseas trip since taking office in March. “Both sides believe we need to improve various border-related mechanisms that we have put into place and make them more efficient, and we need to appropriately manage and resolve our differences,” Mr. Li said.
The two sides promised to appoint special representatives to investigate the reasons for the recent border spat. On April 15, a contingent of 50 Chinese troops was found to have set up camp in the mountainous Ladakh section of Kashmir that India claims as its own. India then stationed troops about 300 yards away from the Chinese troops and the two camps faced each other for weeks before the dispute was resolved. The leaders promised to appoint special representatives to investigate the episode, which began on April 15 when India discovered that a contingent of 50 Chinese troops was camped out in the mountainous Ladakh section of Kashmir. India moved some of its own troops to within about 300 yards, and the two camps stared at each other for weeks as Indian military and diplomatic officials furiously tried to get the Chinese to pull up stakes and leave.
The two sides pledged Monday to enhance cooperation and agreed to joint military training exercises later this year. Their statement also referred to improved cooperation on maritime security. China’s growing maritime presence, including the building of ports in countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan in what has been called a “string of pearls” strategy, has alarmed India. On Monday, the two sides pledged to enhance their cooperation and even agreed to joint military training exercises later this year. The joint statement also referred to enhanced cooperation on maritime security.
Mr. Li is scheduled to leave India on Tuesday to visit Pakistan. China has grown increasingly assertive in the South China Sea and has been building ports in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. China’s ports, referred to as “a string of pearls,” have alarmed India and unnerved the United States.
In a press briefing Monday, India’s ambassador to China, S. Jaishankar, described Mr. Li’s visit as “a significant visit, it’s a substantive visit, it’s a productive visit.” The two countries signed eight memorandums of understanding during Mr. Li’s visit, including agreements to jointly conduct the annual Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, which requires Indian citizens to enter China; ensure the safety and hygiene of buffalo meat and fishery products; and increase cooperation in the field of sewage treatment, urban development issues and water-efficiency technology.
In a press briefing, India’s ambassador to China, S. Jaishankar, described the visit as “a significant visit — it’s a substantive visit, it’s a productive visit.”
“There are issues, but the view was that our shared interests are more than our differences,” Mr. Jaishankar said.“There are issues, but the view was that our shared interests are more than our differences,” Mr. Jaishankar said.
Infrastructure development and energy cooperation projects, both of which India desperately needs, were discussed, Mr. Jaishankar said. But Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor of Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said that India had so far gotten little of value out of the visit, including no reassurance about the border.
The two sides also discussed India’s growing alarm over China’s plans to build a series of dams on the Brahmaputra River, which flows into India’s northeastern provinces. India has repeatedly asked China to provide more information about those plans and the effects they will have on India but China has so far resisted. In a statement, Mr. Li said that China was willing to “strengthen communication” with India over its dam developments. “My assessment is that China has gained more from these meetings than India,” he said. “The Chinese side conceded nothing.”
The police in New Delhi closed roads in much of the central part of the city on Monday for security reasons, and they closed several metro stations to prevent Tibetan activists from gathering to protest Chinese rule in Tibet. Scattered protests were held in various parts of the city anyway.
The two sides discussed India’s growing alarm over China’s plans to build a series of dams on the Brahmaputra River, which flows into India’s northeast provinces.
India has repeatedly asked China to provide more information about its plans and the effects they will have on India, but China has so far resisted. In a statement, Mr. Li said China was willing to “strengthen communication” with India over its dam developments.
The two leaders also discussed their common concerns about Afghanistan, efforts to increase tourism between the two nations and an effort by India to increase Chinese language instruction.The two leaders also discussed their common concerns about Afghanistan, efforts to increase tourism between the two nations and an effort by India to increase Chinese language instruction.
“I think the point was that if India and China are both growing, surely our relationship should be growing a least as fast,” Mr. Jaishankar said. “I think the point was that if India and China are both growing, surely our relationship should be growing at least as fast,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Hari Kumar and Malavika Vyawahare contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong.

Hari Kumar and Malavika Vyawahare contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong.