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India's welcome signs

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-19 07:44

The victory of India's ruling coalition in the country's general election is a vote for continuity - continuity of India's economic policy in the time of the global economic crisis. And China hopes it is a vote for continuity of friendly and good neighborly relations, consolidated by Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh among other leaders.

The two leaders' words, spoken in Beijing in Jan 2008, are still fresh in mind. Before a closed-door meeting, Singh reportedly told Wen that while talking to him he felt as if he was dealing with family, and somehow it appeared their ancestors were related. Wen held the elder statesman's hand in return and told him that he treats him like his "elder brother". Cynics may call this posturing, but leaders of the two countries know better. This is the kind of bond we expect from leaders of the two countries, and with Singh likely to continue in the saddle for five more years it seems a distinct possibility.

Singh is familiar with the Chinese political leadership, having interacted with them at summits in China and India, and on-the-sidelines meetings at international gatherings.

The two countries' friendship goes back a long way. India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. In 1954, late premier Zhou Enlai and Jawaharlal Nehru, then India's prime minister, exchanged visits and jointly initiated the famous Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which has since become the foundation of China's foreign policy.

China also hopes Singh's continuation in office would help bring peace in the region, especially to end the Taliban threat in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

True, China and India still have some unresolved bilateral issues. But they can be dealt with later because some matters need more urgent attention. And the two most urgent ones today are the global economic crisis and climate change.

The two neighbors have long realized the importance of bilateral trade, and share a lot in common on how to fight global warming. They have spoken in one voice at many international forums, especially the WTO talks, where they have opposed the favorable policies that governments of developed countries offer their agricultural sector. They have countered the machinations of the rich world to impose stricter carbon dioxide emission rules on Beijing and New Delhi, saying China's and India's per capita carbon footprints are far below that of the developed countries.

But it's trade that has received their greatest attention. With bilateral trade in 2008 reaching $51.8 billion, China has become one of India's top trading partners. From just $1.9 billion in 1998, bilateral trade volume rose to $38 billion in 2007, giving an indication of the rapid pace of growth.

Many economists across the world expect China - and India - to pull the global economy out of the financial quagmire, and with Singh continuing to work jointly with Beijing that hopefully will become a reality sooner than later.

(China Daily 05/19/2009 page8)