India, China avoid Arunachal, vow to build better ties


Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao attends the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China summit held alongside the 15th ASEAN summit in the southern Thai resort town of Cha-am. AFP


At a nearly hour-long meeting here, both leaders avoided the most contentious issues - Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims, and the Dalai Lama's proposed November visit to the northeastern state that China opposes - as they discussed ways to build a relationship marred by a lingering border dispute.


"We have reached important consensus on promoting bilateral ties, and I believe that our two countries maintain a good relationship in the future, which conforms with the interests of the two countries," Wen said at the beginning of the talks.


Both Manmohan Singh and Wen agreed that differences between them on a range of issues should not be allowed to act as impediments. According to N. Ravi, Secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, Manmohan Singh said that both sides should take measures at the political and diplomatic level to foster better understanding and trust "so that our relationship remained strong and robust".


"Neither side should allow differences to act as impediment in the growth of functioning cooperation," he said. The Indian and Chinese leaders met on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia summits in this Thai resort.


Ravi said the Wen-Manmohan talks were held "in a warm and friendly atmosphere". Wen underlined that India and China, which fought a border war in 1962 and still claim each other's territory, should maintain peace and strengthen bilateral relationship.