M A I N   N E W S

PM to discuss visa stapling issue with Wen
Ruchika M. Khanna in Hanoi
Tribune news service

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here on the last leg of his Asia tour, he is looking at taking up major concerns of India with China, South Korea and Australia, during his bilateral discussions with the premiers of the three countries on the sidelines of the ASEAN- India and East Asia Summits.

While the issue of stapled visas being given by China to Jammu and Kashmir residents and China’s engagement in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and boundary issues likely to figure prominently during the 30-minute meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, India might have some explaining to do to the South Korean premier Lee Myung- bak on the POSCO issue as he meets him on Friday.

Sources informed TNS that the bilateral meeting between Indian and Chinese Prime Minister will be held tomorrow. Tension has been brewing between the two countries ever since China has claimed its control on Arunachal Pradesh and part of Ladakh on its official website last week.

India is also likely to raise its concerns on the issue of China giving stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir, including the government officials posted in the state, and China’s engagement in aiding Pakistan on infrastructure development in PoK. It is learnt that India will make its point clear that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and China must accept it and not have a separate visa policy.

Other than these contentious issues, Manmohan Singh is expected to seek continuous engagement with China. The two leaders will also discuss the trade imbalance between the two countries, which is heavily in favour of China.

“China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a major trading partner of India. India will also take up the issue of access of Indian pharmaceuticals and its IT services in the Chinese markets. On earlier occasions, China has already assured India that it would allow access to the Indian pharma companies,” said a source, adding that the meeting will be “very substantive’.

Manmohan Singh will also be meeting the Korean premier Lee Myung- bak tomorrow. Sources say that besides other issues on increasing trade between the two countries and seeking increased participation of Korea in India, the issue of the POSCO project hitting the environment roadbloc will also be taken up.

“India values South Korean investment and we will assure the Korean side that investment will continue. We will also tell then that we are looking at issues into the delays in projects like Korean steel maker POSCO, which is investing $ 12 billion in Orissa,” said a source.

On October 30, Manmohan Singh will be holding bilateral talks with the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong; Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung. The increasing incidents of hate crimes against Indians in Australia will be taken up, besides other issues, during the meeting of Indian and Australian Prime Minister.

Just ahead of the US President, Barack Obama’s visit to India, Indian officials will also engage with Hillary Clinton’s entourage, on the sidelines of the East Asia summit on October 30. The issue of visa regulations and USA’s stand on outsourcing of IT jobs to India will be taken up by the Indian side.