Closer Sino-Pak military ties hasten Gujral's China visit

George Iype in New Delhi

Worried by increasingly close military ties between Pakistan and China, the Indian government is stepping up efforts for a major Sino-Indian bilateral dialogue. Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral is likely to visit Beijing in October.

Officials in the ministry of external affairs disclosed that Gujral plans to lead a high-level official team to China to discuss the countries' unsettled border issue as well as a host of other issues concerning cultural and economic cooperation.

The prime minister who holds the external affairs portfolio will also take up the recent Chinese intrusions into the Indian territory at Track Junction in Himachal Pradesh.

Though Gujral's proposed trip basically reciprocates Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to India in November 1996, the real reason for the initiative is concern over the closer and stronger Sino-Pak military ties in recent times.

Foreign office mandarins in New Delhi pointed out that "China has emerged as the leading supplier of arms to Pakistan" and that there have been frequent exchange of visits between top military leaders of both the countries.

In fact, General Yu Yongbo, a top-ranking member of the Chinese Central Military Commission, is at present on a high-level visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Air Chief Marshal Farooq Feroz Khan.

On Thursday, General Yongbo was conferred the Pakistan award ''Nishan-i-Imtiaz'' in recognition of his valuable contribution to promoting mutual understanding and goodwill between the two countries.

"This shows the power and close ties that the armies of Pakistan and China enjoy," a foreign ministry official told Rediff On The Net stating that "better bilateral relations with China is one of the priority areas of the Gujral government."

In keeping with his "doctrine of good neighbourliness," the prime minister will offer India's participation in the 50th year of the Chinese revolution which begins in October 1998, the official said. China has already expressed its desire to be part of the golden jubilee celebrations of India's Independence beginning in August this year.

On the economic front, the Gujral team will suggest means to increase the Sino-Indian trade through a series of new initiatives such as setting up of joint venture companies in both the countries, the official said. The trade between India and China was nearly $ 1.4 billion in 1996.

An Indian delegation, led by Air-India chairman P C Sen, has already held bilateral talks with China to start Sino-Indian air links. As per the arrangement recommended by the delegation, A-I will help China in establishing air links with major Indian cities like New Delhi, Bombay and Madras.

Foreign policy analysts are keenly watching Gujral's initiatives towards China. As foreign minister in the previous H D Deve Gowda regime, Gujral is credited to have successfully signed historic water-sharing treaties with the neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh.

The prime minister is also meeting his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Male next week during the prime ministerial summit of the seven SAARC countries.