Question : Indo-China Talks

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the National Security Advisor (NSA) has visited China for strategic dialogue recently; if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether India has expressed its objections/concerns regarding the China-Pak economic corridor running through Pak occupied Kashmir as well as Beijing vetoing New Delhi’s bid to get the Pathankot attack mastermind designated as terrorist by the UN sanctions committee;

(c) if so, the response of the Chinese Government thereto; and

(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to strengthen the bilateral relations between both the countries?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) Sh. Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA) and Special Representative (SR) of India for India-China Boundary Question visited China to hold the 19th Round of SR Talks on India-China Boundary Question on 20-21 April 2016.

(b) & (c) Government has conveyed to the Chinese side, including at the highest level, its concerns about their activities in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and asked them to cease these activities. On the issue of the listing in 1267 Sanctions Committee, India’s position has been conveyed clearly that there cannot be different standards to judge terrorism. China has often repeated its concern on spread of terrorism and their desire to cooperate with us on this issue. The Government is in constant touch with China on this matter.

(d) During the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping agreed to build a closer developmental partnership and make it a core component of the bilateral relationship. This was further strengthened during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to China in May 2015. The two sides have emphasized the policy of attaching priority to the development of good-neighbourly and friendly bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s concerns and aspirations.