Pak factor in India-China ties dominates Beijing media meet

I / Beijing March 31, 2010, 14:45 IST

China's all-weather ties with Pakistan and its reservations in backing India's aspirations to become a permanent UN Security Council member dominated the proceedings of the first-ever public get together of Indian and Chinese media professionals here.

The one day event organised yesterday by the 2010 India-China Development Forum which was set up with backing of China's top media houses and the Indian Embassy here has displayed a heated debate, something that the Chinese media professionals have rarely seen and appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed.

The spark was ignited by Karan Thapar, the noted Indian television interviewer and President of Infotainment Television stating that despite the shared history and cultural ties with bourgeoning trade, China was viewed with suspicion in India for its close military and strategic ties with Pakistan, which continues to be an impeding factor for a vibrant Sino-Indian relationship.

He also pointed out Beijing's reservations in extending full support to India's aspirations to become permanent member of the UNSC has also cast shadow on the relations between the two countries.

Perhaps China too entertained similar apprehensions about India-US relations.

These "suspicions" gets reflected in media and picked by audiences, becoming a part of their mental outlook, he said.

Chinese Minister of the State Council Information Office Wang Chen, who attended the inaugural session of the meeting, met Thapar after the session and appreciated the candidness with which the issues were discussed.

Some of the Chinese Journalists and academicians including, Zhou Minwei, President of China International Publishing group and Ma Jiali, Research Professor of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in their speeches took pains to explain that China's policy to Pakistan has changed in the last ten years and Beijing viewed its relationship with New Delhi and Islamabad with more sense of equanimity.