PM Narendra Modi's China visit to focus on economic, trade ties

New Delhi Monday, 11 May 2015  PTI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit this week will focus on cementing India's relationship with China by leveraging on their growing trade and economic ties, even as the two countries grapple with contentious issues of boundary and strategic regional rivalry.Serious differences continue to prevail on the border issue even as both sides are making efforts to ensure that peace and tranquillity prevails, officials said here ahead of Modi's three-visit to China beginning on May 14.Officials say China is not keen on the clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) proposed by Modi last year during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.The clarification of LAC ahead of the resolution of the boundary was expected to restrict aggressive patrolling from both sides.Two incursions by the Chinese troops in the Ladakh area during Premier Li Keqiang and Xi's visits to India in the last two years overshadowed the trips.The incidents prompted Modi to suggest to Xi last year that clarification of LAC would greatly contribute in efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity of the border where



troops from both sides often jostle to assert their claims and counter claims.The issue was also discussed during the 18th round of the border talks held in New Delhi in February this year. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her recent visit said there is a need for an "out of the box" solution in order to not leave it for future generations.China says the border dispute is confined only to 2,000 km mostly in Arunachal Pradesh whereas India asserts that the dispute covered the western side of the border spanning to about 4,000 km, especially the Aksai Chin area annexed by China in the 1962 war.But despite differences, both sides are focussing on improving the relations between the border troops with operationalisation of hotlines both at the headquarter level and the commanders level.Both sides have agreed for a fourth meeting between the commanders in Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said despite the differences, both sides are keen to push forward the relations with focus on economic and trade issues.Several agreements were expected to be signed in the meeting between Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang here on May 15.