06/19/2009, 00.00
INDIA – CHINA
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Beijing and New Delhi to set up a direct hotline

In 30 days leaders in both countries will be able talk to each other directly to prevent bilateral crises. The two Asian nations have still border issues left unresolved by the 1962 War. In the meantime a paper close to official Beijing notes that China still does not trust India.
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – In a bid to avoid crises China and India have agreed to establish a hotline between their top leaders. Indian papers are reporting today that the decision to set up the hotline was taken in a meeting early this week between Indian Prime Minister Manmohand Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao in Yekaterinburg during the first summit of the four major emerging economies or BRIC (Brazil, India, Russia and China).

A similar line existed in during the Cold War between Moscow and Washington to help prevent or defuse crises.

The two Asian giants still have outstanding issues and this despite growing trade and economic ties.

They have not yet settled their border dispute which flared up in open warfare in 1962. and neither side accepts the border demarcation.

Beijing has also not been very pleased with New Delhi’s recent decision to deploy additional troops and fighter jets on the disputed border.

The Global Times, a tabloid that is part of the People's Daily group, last Friday published a survey that found 74 per cent of respondents were against maintaining friendly relations with India. It said 90 per cent viewed that country as a threat to China’s national security and 65 per cent believed that New Delhi's decision to deploy additional forces on the disputed border was a strain on bilateral ties, and could prove more harmful to India than China.

However, C.V. Ranganathan, India's ambassador to China from 1987 to 1991, said there are concerns about the reliability of the survey, because the paper failed to indicate the size of the sampled group or provide any urban-rural breakdown.

Some experts note that the People’s Daily is the Chinese Communist Party’s official mouthpiece. However accurate (or inaccurate) survey results might be, they are still a good indication of what party leaders think. Communist leaders thus seem to confirming their anti-Indian stance. 

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