Later, the minister will also take part in the reception to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of political relations between the two countries and inaugurate the Festival of India in Beijing. In an interview to Deccan Herald on board a Beijing-bound IAF aircraft on Monday, Krishna, said about his first visit as minister to China that he had been looking forward to the visit for a long while.
Excerpts:
What are you expecting from this visit which comes in the midst of several complex issues between India and China?
There are so many comparisons between India and China. Both are developing nations, both are most populous countries, and both have unparalleled bondage through civilisations. Moreover, China is our neighbour. Hence it is necessary that high level bilateral visits between the two take place more frequently. My visit will be followed by that of the president, later this year. I await my talks with the political leadership of China, particularly foreign minister Yang Jiechi whom I had met earlier in Bangalore and Phuket (Thailand). I will call on premier Wen Jiabao.
What about concerns expressed over the boundary issue?
It is a concern. By mutual agreement, we have a mechanism in place by which Special Representatives of the two countries are entitled to deal with the issue. The SRs have met 13 times and the14th is due this year.
Undoubtedly, there are complex technical issues involved in it and as a result, it is a highly time consuming exercise which demands lots of patience for the outcome. But then, the Indo-Chinese border is among the most peaceful areas. We have agreed to find a mutually acceptable solution.
There are other issues such as stapled visas issued by the Chinese Embassy to Kashmiris, construction activity in PoK, etc.
Yes, these are issues and we hope to take it up in our bilateral negotiations.
What about imbalance in trade – India is lagging behind.
Well, trade imbalance is there and heavily loaded against India. It needs to be addressed and it is one of the most important issues to be discussed.