India & China – A Shared Future

What is the issue?

• India & China have a lot of shared concerns and aspirations.
• The maturity shown in easing the Doklam standoff could pave the way for a new chapter in the India China relationship.  

What accompanied the ending of Doklam standoff?  

• A consensus was reached to enhance mutual trust, focus on cooperation and manage differences.
• Revitalizing a series of dialogues mechanisms and to promote youth and educational cooperation was also agreed upon.
• Stress was laid on mutually seeing each other as development partners rather than as threats.
• Above all, both sides have displayed their intent to conduct comprehensive dialogues to sort out any future differences.  

What have been notable areas of co-operation?

• Business - Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries have been gaining momentum steadily and crossed $70 billion last year.
• China has been for many years the largest trading partner of India.
• More than 500 Chinese companies have invested and started business in India with a total investment of over $5 billion.
• Many Indian enterprises of IT, pharmacy and consultancy have entered the Chinese market.
• Cultural - People-to-people exchanges are also thriving with mutual visits having exceeded one million.
• Yoga, Darjeeling tea, and Bollywood movies have become fashionable among the Chinese youth.
• Work is also on to hold the Annual Indian Tourism Conference in Yunnan province in China.
• Lower Government exchanges - China and India have established 14 pairs of sister cities and provinces.
• Assam representatives attended the Hangzhou International Tea Expo recently and China helped the Kerala government introduce rubber dams.
• High Diplomacy – Both the countries have maintained close high-level communications.
• Top leaders have met more than a dozen times in past couple of years in bilateral and multilateral occasions.
• Both countries share a common ground on issues like IMF reforms & WTO’s Agreeement on Agriculture.

Source: The Hindu