India, China look to iron out differences at trilateral meet

Foreign ministers of India and China are set to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations on the heels of tension over many contentious issues, including the border, when they meet here tomorrow during the annual ministerial meeting of Russia, India and China.

“Nothing is off the table. The foreign ministers will review the relationships which are important to both countries,” Vishnu Prakash, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters here today. He said despite incursions by the Chinese and the ‘mistrust’ between the two countries, India and China shared a broad consensus across a spectrum of issues, and India wanted to consolidate it.

To a query if India would be in a position of strength while discussing the border and other contentious issues with China, the official said the two countries had cordial relations and the discussions would be held on equal terms.

“The hallmark of the talks between India and China is that the relations have matured and we are in a position to build on the positives and narrow down on the negatives,” Prakash said.

Agreeing that there had been certain incidents of incursions from the Chinese side, he said though the actual boundary between the countries had not been demarcated, tranquillity had prevailed for a long time. “The fact is that the actual boundary is not demarcated. But, there is a broad consensus across the political spectrum in both countries on the issue of the line of actual control,” he added.