Sino-Indian Relations in the New Era

In addition, the two countries have institutionalized contact, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, which have become a key channel for communication and understanding. China and India have established the Special Representative Dialogue Mechanism on the Boundary Question (in 2003), the Boundary Issue Consultation and Coordination Mechanism (in 2012), the Defense and Security Consultation between National Defense Departments (in 2007) and the Strategic Dialogue between Foreign Ministries (in 2005). More importantly, the China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue Mechanism was established in 2011 concerning industrial policies and pragmatic cooperation in economic trend, macro-economic policy and related fields.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi meets with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on June 8, 2014.

A Promising Future of Political Mutual Trust

With clear-cut relationship and positioning, China and India have a definite direction for future development.

Since 1988, high-level exchanges and agreements have explicitly specified the positioning of the Sino-Indian relationship, answering the question of “friend or foe” and “competition or partnership.” In 2003, the two governments agreed, “The common interests of the two sides outweigh their differences. The two countries are not a threat to each other. Neither side shall use or threaten to use force against the other.” The 2005 Sino-Indian Joint Statement decided to establish a “strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity,” and strategic cooperation thereafter became the main thread of bilateral relations. In 2006, the Joint Statement further defined the nature of the partnership as mutually beneficial cooperation and highlighted the positioning of mutual benefit. And the 2013 Joint Statement declared “both countries view each other as partners for mutual benefit and not as rivals or competitors,” indicating a qualitative improvement in image building for both parties.

In retrospect, complicated problems remain and the room for developing political mutual trust is still large. But an obvious fact is that political mutual trust is increasing. The 2013 Joint Statement, to some degree, addressed major security concerns from both sides – “The two sides will not allow their territories to be used for activities against the other” and “the two sides are committed to taking a positive view of and support each other’s friendship with other countries.” As early as 1988, then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping asserted that the development of both China and India was needed to inaugurate the Asian century. He told visiting Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi that a real Asia-Pacific century or an Asian century would come only if China, India and other neighboring countries developed. Former Prime Minister Singh also reaffirmed on many occasions that the world has enough space to accommodate the ambitions of both India and China. These prevailing judgments, made from a strategic perspective, have laid a foundation for stable bilateral relations today.

The rational attitude toward one another’s development is the key to bilateral relations. The 2006 Joint Statement declared that both sides welcome and positively regard each other’s development and have enough space for a larger scale of joint development; the 2013 Joint Statement further stated, “The world needs common development of both countries,” and both countries “welcome each other’s peaceful development and regard it as a mutually reinforcing process.” These statements indicate the future trend is cooperation instead of confrontation, and partnership instead of rivalry. In addition, Premier Li Keqiang chose India as his first diplomatic visit destination in May 2013, emphasizing the natural partnership with India and that the relations with India constitute a major priority of Chinese diplomacy. Then-Prime Minister Singh also made it clear when he visited China last October that friendship with China is an Indian priority.