Good neighborly cooperation

Q: Many in India agree that China pursued a deep engagement policy with India under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. How do you look at their contribution, in a way your own contribution to Sino-Indian relations, and the Indian leadership's responses to it? How does China's new leadership see future relations with India?

A: Over the past decade, China-India relations have enjoyed rapid and in-depth growth and become more stable and mature.

The burgeoning bilateral relations are attributable to the high importance and personal attention given by leaders of both countries. During the last 10 years, the two sides have maintained frequent high-level visits. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao each met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh more than 10 times in bilateral and multilateral settings, developing genuine friendship with the Indian prime minister. The leaders of both sides agree that the China-India relations have gone beyond the bilateral scope and acquired global and strategic significance. We are partners in win-win cooperation, not rivals in competition. There is enough space in the world for the development of both China and India and enough areas for our two countries to cooperate in. These visions and fundamental views have guided the sound growth of bilateral ties.

Our relationship has gained increasing importance in China's foreign relations. As the person in charge of China's foreign affairs and as China's special representative on the boundary question, it is my honor to have witnessed the growth of bilateral relations and played my part in promoting them.

The recently concluded 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China set out the guiding principles and policies for China's development, and highlighted China's commitment to an independent foreign policy of peace and its commitment to the path of peaceful development. We will continue to concentrate on development. At the same time, we will continue to promote friendship and partnership with our neighbors, consolidate friendly relations and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with them, and ensure that China's development will bring more benefits to our neighbors. To develop good neighborly relations with India is China's longstanding strategic choice. After the 18th Party Congress, China will place more importance on developing the strategic and cooperative partnership with India. I firmly believe that the future of China-India relations will be even brighter.

Q: You are the Chinese official who has had the longest engagement with India on the Sino-Indian border dispute. How much ground have we covered and what are the prospects for settlement? What is your message in this regard for future negotiations and for the people of both countries? How can an agreement be reached?

A: Since we restarted the boundary talks in 1979, China and India have worked relentlessly to push forward the negotiations and achieved some positive results. In 2003, we took an innovative step and set up the special representatives' meeting mechanism. In 2005, we signed the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the China-India Boundary Question, and moved on to explore the framework for a boundary settlement, which is the second stage in a three-stage process. The two countries have signed two agreements and one protocol on the maintenance of peace and tranquility and confidence-building measures in the border areas, and have set up a working mechanism for consultation and coordination on border affairs. These efforts have helped ensure durable peace and stability in the border areas and played a positive role in establishing and developing the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership.

The boundary question, an issue left over from history, is highly complicated. An early settlement will serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples. I believe that in seeking the settlement, we should always bear in mind the overall interests of bilateral relations, act in the spirit of peace, friendship, equal-footed consultation, mutual respect and mutual accommodation, and work to narrow differences and expand common ground. If we work in this way, we will find a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement. I hope that the special representatives from both sides will keep up the good work and finish the negotiation.