First joint military exercises between long-standing enemies Beijing and New Delhi
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Joint Sino-Indian military exercises will begin tomorrow till 28 December in the mountains near Kunming (Yunnan). Although they will involve few troops they do indicate a thaw in relations between the two Asian giants and rivals that once fought a still unresolved border war in 1962.
Indian Defence Ministry spokesman Sutanshu Kar said the exercise was “a significant move in bilateral relations.” He added the exercise might be followed by a second one between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army next year in India. Both sides were also considering “peacetime naval engagements” soon.
“Military co-operation is the most sensitive sector in diplomacy,” said Wu Miaofa, a researcher on international relations from the China Institute of International Studies. “The joint military exercise shows China and India have made great efforts to improve bilateral ties beyond the economic, cultural and political fields,” Mr Wu said, adding that the exercise would focus on counterterrorism—a problem faced by both countries.
The border row between the two countries that triggered a brief but a bitter war in 1962 remains unresolved. India says China occupies 38,000 sq km of its territory, while Beijing claims 90,000 sq km—the whole of the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
In recent months, Indian border forces have reported more and more Chinese "intrusions" across the disputed border as Beijing stepped up its rhetoric on the disputed frontier, reiterating its claims.
India has also been pursuing closer strategic relations with the United States, much to the dismay of China. In September, New Delhi upset Beijing by hosting naval exercises with warships and fighter aircraft from the US and three other countries in the Bay of Bengal.
Beijing also resents the presence of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans in India.
Despite their differences trade between the two giants grew by 56.8 per cent in the first four months of this year and is expected to touch US$ 40 billion a year by 2010.
In a sign of good will Beijing agreed last year to reopen the strategic Nathu La, a Himalayan mountain pass, to border trade, thereby accepting Sikkim as a part of India.
The two countries also signed an agreement on defence co-operation in May last year
The 2.5-million-strong PLA is the world's largest army. The Indian Army, with 1.13 million soldiers, is the third largest, behind that of the United States.
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