M A I N   N E W S

China hosts Sharif, Antony in a rare diplomatic tango

Beijing, July 4
China today hosted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and India Defence Minister AK Antony in a rare diplomatic tango between its all-weather friend and emerging strategic partner, India. As both Sharif and Antony arrived here, state-television projected it as a rare diplomatic event by China hosting top leaders from both the countries, setting off a new phase with cordial ties with them. "Both India and Pakistan are very important countries in our neighbourhood," Wang Shida, a researcher with the China Institute of Contemporary Relations, told CCTV news.

"China and India have established strategic cooperative partnership since 2005. China and Pakistan have enjoyed an all-weather partnership for half a century. It means both India and Pakistan are important diplomatically to China. Premier Li Keqiang's visit to both the countries last month sets a very good example," he said.

Though their visits were a coincident, the two were not expected to cross paths here. Antony, who is the first Indian Defence Minister to visit China in seven years, arrived here on a four-day visit.

The recent border incursion by China's People's Liberation Army troops, finalisation of the Border Defence Coordination Agreement (BDSA) to maintain peace at the disputed borders as well as resumption of bilateral military exercises top Antony's agenda for talks with the Chinese leadership.

The Pakistan Prime Minister, who arrived here on his first foreign visit after returning to power, met Chinese President Xi Jinping and sought assistance in energy, transport and infrastructure projects. — PTI

Chinese General warns India against ‘new trouble’ 

Beijing, July 4
Hours before the arrival of Defence Minister AK Antony, a hawkish Chinese General today warned India against provoking "new trouble" by increasing its military deployment at the border. China played down the warning and said it was not reflective of the official view.

"There is no denying that there are tensions and problems between China and India, particularly at the border areas," Major General Luo Yuan, executive vice- president and secretary-general of the China Strategy Culture Promotion Association, said.

"There is still problem of 90,000 sq km of territory still occupied by the Indian side. These are the problems left over from history and we should look at it with cool head," he said here.