To: Ron Bower who wrote (2780 ) 3/29/1999 12:43:00 PM From: Tom Respond to
Why's and Wherefor'sA high-level Chinese trade delegation left [Beijing] today for New Delhi to hold talks with leading Indian trade bodies to enhance mutual standing and promote co-operation between the two countries. The 15-member delegation led by the vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Mr. An Chengxin, is the first major business delegation to India from China in the post-Pokhran phase. ...according to Chinese customs statistics the bilateral trade between India and China rose by 5.03 percent in 1998 while that between China and Pakistan dipped by 8.8 percent with New Delhi retaining the slot as Beijing's biggest trading partner in South Asia. The Sino-Indian trade last year (January-December) amounted to $1.92 billion. India has an “unready force,”; is vulnerable to a first strike; does not have a command, control and intelligence structure that is resistant to an attack aimed at “decapitating” India's civilian leadership. The report states that even with an extended range of 2,500 km, India's Agni intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) cannot hit Beijing even if it is fired from the northeastern states. “A range of 5,000 km could be based almost anywhere in India and still hit Beijing. However, no upgrade of Agni is likely to be able to produce a missile with a 3,500-5,000 km range.” The recent consultations between Chinese and Indian foreign office officials was a “new starting point” to improve relations between the two neighbours, the Chinese Ambassador to India, Mr. Zhou Gang, has said. Addressing a seminar on “India, China, Russian the 21st century,” organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs [in New Delhi]. With China's unyielding rigidity, only a bold political initiative by India can break the ice. The outcome of the Sino-Indian official level talks in Beijing during the weekend indicates that the Pokharan-II chill in the bilateral relations persists and that the hope of thaw included by friendly statements and gestures remains unfulfilled. China is determined not to allow the US any room to meddle in its relations with India, judging by its foreign policy formulations. It views the latest US homily (Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's advice to respond positively to External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's statement on opening a true communication between India and China) as unnecessary since the two governments are in regular diplomatic contact with each other.
