Ahead of China visit, Krishna airs concerns over border
By IANSFriday, March 26, 2010
SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI - Ahead of his visit to Beijing April 7, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Friday said India has “some concerns” about the boundary issue with China but hoped his trip will reaffirm strong bilateral ties between the two countries.
Announcing his visit, Krishna Friday said in Singapore, where he is on an official visit, that he was looking forward to his China visit. “I am looking forward to the April 7 visit to China which would further reaffirm the strong bilateral ties between India and China,” he told reporters here.
This will be Krishna’s first bilateral visit to China since he became the external affairs minister in May last year.
“There are some concerns about the border issue with China, but these are being handled through respective representatives from the two sides,” he said while alluding to the boundary dispute the two Asian giants are trying to resolve through negotiations.
Krishna will call on his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and discuss, among other things, further intensification of bilateral trade that has crossed $40 billion.
They are likely to set dates for the 14th round of talks between their special representatives to resolve the boundary dispute that sparked a war in 1962.
This will be Krishna’s first trip to China after relations came under strain last year over a host of issues, including reported intrusion by Chinese troops and Beijing’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh.
His visit will also set the stage for President Pratibha Patil’s trip to Beijing later this year.
