Delhi (AsiaNews) – China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao landed this morning in Delhi on an official three-day visit. He greeted his hosts with the traditional Indian salutation, slight bow with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest, saying Namaste. His mission is meant to strengthen trade relations with India, especially in the energy and banking fields. A group of Tibetans was also present to protest against the visit.
“We heartily welcome the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao,” the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile, Lobsang Tenzin (aka Professor Venerable Samdhong Rinpoche), told AsiaNews. “Unlike other Communist leaders, he represents hope for all of us.”
Today, Wen’s agenda includes only a visit to the Tagore International School where he will meet Indian students who are learning Mandarin.
The last time he met his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, was in October at a summit in Vietnam. On that occasion, he said the world was big enough for China and India. However, the two powers are still at odds on a number of issues, including their Himalayan borders and the presence in India of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile.
In addition to warmly welcoming the Chinese leader, Samdhong Rinpoche noted that “This is Wen Jiabao’ second visit to India as Chinese premier [. . .] Among the present People's Republic of China's (PRC) leadership, he is the most liberal person advocating an open society and democracy. We hope that he can contribute substantially to China-India relations. His statements in favour of freedom of expression comfort us.”
For the Tibetan leader, India’s position on China and Tibet is well established, going back almost 60 years ago to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
In the beginning, it was a success but the world has changed. The policy must therefore be rethought and renewed, keeping in mind such changes. However, it remains “realistic” and has been “beneficial to all sides”.
