January
13, 2008 It's an Essay
in Mutual Comprehension: Manmohan in China By Tarun
Basu
Beijing
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a man of few words. But when
he chose to describe his informal dinner chat Sunday evening with
Premier Wen Jiabao as an "essay in mutual comprehension", it set the
stage for his next two days of official talks with the Chinese
leadership that is expected to narrow down differences on their
border dispute and get Beijing's implied support to New Delhi's
quest for civil nuclear cooperation.
The private dinner was given by Premier Wen at the historic
Diaoyutai State Guesthouse where only four other senior government
leaders and officials on both sides were present. But such was the
chemistry between the two leaders - despite they speaking through an
interpreter - that Wen told his officials that he was deeply
impressed by Manmohan Singh's sagacity, foresightedness and logical
thinking.
"We might have differences," a senior Chinese official told IANS,
"but these differences are getting narrowed by the day."
An Indian official, who did not want to speak on record ahead of the
crucial talks, said the two prime ministers had laid down the
"larger perspective" of relations by their taking a "broad 360
degree" view of their areas of agreement and disagreement.
"There will be no dramatic decisions, but the relations will not be
held hostage to differences over the border or other issues as
well," the official stated.
Arriving early Sunday at the start of his maiden governmental visit
to China, Manmohan Singh told the doubters among the Indian business
community that working together with China was a "historical
necessity" and should be "viewed as an 'international public good'."
"At a time when there are concerns about a global economic slowdown,
China and India can sustain global growth through their own
development," he stated, laying down the policy framework for his
government where sections of the bureaucracy had been blocking
Chinese business forays into India, often on specious security
grounds, or played up the Chinese "threat" card in border and other
complex diplomatic negotiations.
Manmohan Singh, who is accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur,
Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, and a 20-member business delegation,
plunged into the first engagement of his trip within a few hours of
arrival by visiting the Beijing Olympic Centre and going round its
facilities as the city prepares to host the Olympics in seven
months' time.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang, in a lunch interaction
with the visiting Indian media, said the visit will promote "peace,
development and strategic partnership" between the two countries.
Manmohan Singh will be welcomed ceremonially at the Great Hall of
the People only Monday afternoon before his formal talks with Wen
and then on Tuesday with President Hu Jintao. But in a measure of
the importance that business plays in today's diplomatic discourse -
particularly in the one between emerging economic powers - Manmohan
Singh is addressing the India-China Economic, Trade and Investment
Cooperation Summit even before the official welcome ceremony.
"When Manmohan Singh shakes hands with Wen Jiabao, it will catch the
eye of the world," spokesman Qin said, emphasising the importance of
the two countries to be good neighbours, friends and partners and
not be seen as "rivals or enemies" as many would want them to be.
The visit is being keenly watched in world capitals - as both
countries enjoy an unprecedented amount of global attention due to
their rapid economic rise and swelling strategic importance and are
keen not to be seen as feuding neighbours who can't put their act
together.
Eleven agreements, including a Joint Statement that in diplomatic
language denotes a fair measure of convergence of views on issues,
and a framework agreement on cultural cooperation and exchanges, the
first between the two countries, will be signed.
Manmohan Singh returns to New Delhi Tuesday night.
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