CHINA TOPIX

12/22/2024 12:14:10 pm

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China Reaches Out to India Amid Territorial Spat with Neighbors

China-India Ties

(Photo : Reuters / Adnan Abidi) A man walks inside a conference room used for meetings between military commanders of China and India, at the Indian side of the Indo-China border at Bumla, in Arunachal Pradesh, November 11, 2009.

Amid territorial spats with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines, China has made an effort to reach out to India to help boost economic exchanges and dispel existing distrust between the two giant countries.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called the newly sworn-in Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi last month to tell India's ambassador that that China is interested in cooperating with India in all aspects. Foreign Minister Wang Yi went to New Delhi on Monday to tell Modi that the past differences between their countries should not affect their present ties, ABC News detailed.

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The two giant countries have not been on good terms as India grows weary of Beijing's increasing power. In addition, a decades-old spat over their shared Himalayan border triggered a short war between the two in 1962.

However, after winning the elections on his promises of economic recovery, Modi had surprisingly reached out to its Asian neighbors, including long-time archrival Pakistan.

Beijing, on the other hand, has a lot of reasons to stick with India, especially now that chief rival US is making efforts to solidify its ties with Asian countries, according to China expert Huang Jing. Strong Indian relations will give China another big ally considering that the latter's ties with its southern and eastern neighbors are highly strained.

Chinese and Vietnamese vessels have clashed multiple times in the South China Sea after Beijing towed an oil rig into disputed waters on May 1. China is also involved in a similar dispute with the Philippines, and its territorial beef with Japan has also recurred.

Beijing is drawn to India mainly because of the latter's non-aligned disposition. According to Indian defense analyst Majoh Joshi, both sides want to work hand-in-hand to create solutions to their existing problems.

Before the election, Modi had already been to China four times within his 12-year term as Gujarat chief minister. Li, on the other hand, had made India his first international destination after he was seated in the office in 2013.

China is interested in helping India revive its economy, improve its infrastructure, and strengthen its weakened bilateral trade. The relations with China is Modi's key to fulfilling his vow of creating jobs for the 13 million young people who enter India's employment market every single year.

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