'Border row won't hamper China-India ties'

Beijing: India and China will not let their border row to derail their "developing bilateral ties", China Daily said in an editorial on Wednesday. A Sino-Indian meet here on Tuesday had made it clear that the "two emerging powers in the region are taking steps to solve their problems and will not allow their differences to stand in the way of developing bilateral ties".

It said it was good that the two countries were continuing to expand their consensus within the framework for solving the border dispute that led to a war in 1962. "They have vowed to always bear in mind the general picture of bilateral ties and uphold the spirit of peace, friendship, equal consultation, mutual respect and mutual understanding.

"By pledging that they are committed to safeguarding peace and stability in border areas and building mutual military trust, the two neighbours have created a constructive atmosphere for solving the border issue as well as promoting the healthy growth of bilateral ties. "This," it said, "is good news for both sides and the region as a whole."

China Daily said the boundary question "is just a tiny part of China-India relations. The two are cooperative partners, not competitive rivals, as they have far more common ground than differences. Their convergence of interests weighs much greater than their disputes."

The daily said Beijing had a special niche for its interactions with New Delhi and was committed to cultivating good neighbourly ties based on their long tradition of friendship, dating back to more than 2,000 years. "Both China and India shoulder great responsibilities in maintaining peace and stability in the region and beyond."

"As two emerging powers in Asia, they have been increasingly looked upon by the outside world when the international community addresses major global issues such as world economic recovery and climate change," the editorial said. "Every step forward in the two countries' development and their bilateral ties will have a positive impact on peace, security and cooperation in the region and beyond."