The Chinese Premier has talked a language no other visiting Chinese leader has spoken before. How hopeful should New Delhi be about betterment of ties with Beijing? CNN-IBN's international affairs editor Surya Gangadharan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. Myanmar is neighbour to both but more friendly with China. Will our friendliness with China help in improvement of Relationship with Myanmar? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. I don't agree. Myanmar uses India to balance off China. The Myanmar military has always been suspicious of China. Their dependence on China for arms hasn't made things easier. And people don't like the presence of Chinese settlers especially in the north. So India is doing fine there don't worry.
Q. How is it that at time of dignitary's visit trade figures are gone through by journalist and diplomats but after the departure everything is forgotten so India's exports, manufacturing and everything remains same. Asked by: Hitesh
A. That's because the Chinese don't cooperate. They don't want foreign firms to enter their domestic sector unless it is something they need. If you look at the Chinese delegation that came with their premier, it comprised mostly marketing people, product people, PR people there were very few people there looking to buy from India.
Q. Is there no trust deficit now and a DBO repeat unlikely at least for a five year period? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. The DBO incident has deepened the trust deficit. There's no guarantee the Chinese won't do another face off. Incursions will continue. The Chinese don't recognise our claims in the western sector, so the constant probing will continue. This is what was conveyed to the Chinese this time by the PM.
Q. Diplomatic convenience made it to see no mention on Arunachal Pradesh. Will it be still staple visa and staple food on their border issues? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. The Chinese have claims in Arunachal. I think the stapled visa issue is now closed although the Chinese may revive it when they please. But if you noticed, the joint statement had no reference to Tibet as a part of China, it's something we started doing two years ago. I think we may have finally decided to stick to reciprocity with China in the same way we do with Pak
Q. No mention on South China Sea and ONGC operations in Vietnam. Surprising? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. I don't think ONGC is doing anything in that area now. As for South China Sea we refused to go along with the Chinese formulation on it, which would have meant some recognition of its territorial claims. We want freedom of navigation, that was made clear.
Q. Li's visit can solve India's Border problems, not only in Ladakh and also Arunachal. Asked by: aravinda navada
A. Are the Chinese interested in solving the border issue? I don't think so, at least it doesn't suit them now. For that matter are we ready? I don't think so. Imagine if there was a border settlement along the LAC, the map of India would look a lot different from now.
Q. Do you think a truely amicable settlement on both parts will allow His Holiness the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and Tibetan rather than a Chinese/ Chinese prisoner? Asked by: Arun Asokan
A. The Chinese can resolve the tibet issue if they deal with it in the same manner they have given special status to Hong Kong and Macau. But Tibet and Xinjiang are the biggest regions of China, there are vast strategic minerals in Xinjiang and Tibet is their nuclear test site. I don't see the Dalai lama ever going back.
Q. Was there any discussions on INDIAN traders being held hostage and imprisoned for alleged wrong doings in Business? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Two Indian traders were held who have since been released. I am told there are others, there was no mention of them in the joint statement
Q. With India and China equally susceptible to Corruption and scams any lessons to be shared? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Yes, make investigating agencies independent, tighten the law, make court trials faster (the last does happen in China)
Q. PM Li has plans to be in Pakistan next. Any message he will convey to them on their relationship strategy to adopt to India? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. I'm sure he will brief them on his visit here but the Chinese will be more focused on getting to know Nawaz Sharif and his ministers.
Q. PM Li of China did not have any Buyers accompanying him.How will the trade deficit be met? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. That's the point the Chinese came here to sell, identify new markets, new buyers. They weren't interested in buying anything from us. So we need to ensure that the Chinese cannot profit at our cost.
Q. The change has happened in leadership in China. will China wait for 2014 to see, if any changes in leadership in India, for Long term strategies on Relationship? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Premier Li came here despite knowing it's a weak govt and that elections are due in some months. They do their homework and decided to go ahead with the visit. I think they needed to correct some of the negative perception of them in India after the Ladakh face off.
Q. Will Li Keqiang's India visit prove to be a gamechanger in Sino-Indian relations? Asked by: swathi
A. No one visit can be a game changer. It's a process we are embarked upon and the results are uncertain because they are so far off in the distance. China's thinking is opaque and its hard to discern through the smoke.
Q. Why is the China so aggressive with regards to its border policy? Asked by: Abhishek Banthia
A. Partly its their colonial experience, when countries like Japan occupied them and committed mass massacres. Britain used its hold over certain ports to flood the country with opium; US backing of Chiang Kai Shek saw civil war. These memories remain. In the process they make unrealistic claims.
Q. What are the prediction of long term Indo-China relationship vis-vis our relationship with Pakistan, USA, Japan etc. Why because the international view point of China is very much different from India for example on Iran, Japan, N.Korea, Pakistan. So in this case how we can predict strong long term ties with china beyond trade relations? Asked by: Baba
A. Get this straight, we don't trust China. We fought a war, they arm Pakistan with nuclear weapons, they arm north east rebels, they intrude into our territory in Ladakh and Arunachal. But they also don't want us to join up with their enemies, so Li comes here, others will come. We can't ignore them as they are neighbours. It's complicated
Q. China's PM Li seems well disposed to our country.Remembers his visit 27 years ago. Should India not try to befriend him to solve all vexatious issues during his tenure? Asked by: T T Krishnan
A. Excuse me he came as part of some Chinese "youth congress delegation", he probably remembers little, may have eaten only noodles during his trip, so not sure what his indian experience really amounts to. But he's an affable character, his friendly face is part of the transformation the new leadership is engaged in with its own people. One man can't transform the relationship, it requires the Chinese system to decide what is in its best interests.
Q. This is all an eye wash. Can we trust the Chinese? The problem would continue till we sit down and decide on the line of control and China accepts that Arunachal and other disputed areas are Indian territory. Don't you feel the Chinese want to exploit the big Indian market to dump their goods and they would bring out the boundary dispute when it suits them and they would in turn improve the infrastructure in the areas of dispute which in turn would put us under threat? Asked by: AKS
A. This is very confusing, not sure what you want to say. But yes the Chinese need markets for their manufactured product, they are in the middle of a downturn economically and so want India to buy more. We are unlikely to as the deficit is running at 30 bn dollars. The Chinese so far have done nothing to address it. Their infra building along the LAC is impressive, they can move troops and equipment across hundreds of kilometers in very short time , we cannot. The fault is ours, we've been laggard, our systems mediocre, our capacity limited. We are trying to improve but it will take time.
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