Beijing:
India and China on Wednesday signed an agreement to establish a hotline between Prime Ministers of the two countries, as External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi resolved to take the bilateral relationship to new heights.
The agreement, under which dedicated phone lines will be set up in the Prime Minister's office of the two countries, was signed by Krishna and Yang after their talks here. This would enable Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao to hold direct conversations whenever they want. This is the first time in recent years that India has established a dedicated hotline facility with any country.
During the over an hour-long meeting, the two countries also decided to strengthen their cooperation in regional forums and on addressing issues like global financial crisis and climate change. After the meeting, Krishna said the establishment of hotline facility showed how close "India and China were with each other."
"This has been one of the highlights of my visit and it is fitting that the two countries were able to do it during the celebrations of 60th year of establishment of diplomatic relations," he told reporters. The decision to establish the hotline was reached during a meeting between Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in June last year.
Asked whether the issue of stapled visas were taken up during the meeting with Yang, Krishna said: "All issues concerning bilateral ties were discussed." He is understood to have conveyed India's concerns over Kashmiris being issued stapled visas by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. The issue of 21 Indians being held in China on charges of diamond smuggling is also understood to have been raised.
Earlier, Krishna met the families of 21 Indians, who have been charged with diamond smuggling in China, and assured them that he will raise the issue during his meetings with the top Chinese leadership. While 20 Indians have been charged with diamond smuggling, one has been charged with money laundering.
However, Yang refused to go into the details of his talks with Krishna when asked whether the issue of stapled visas were discussed. "I am not going into the details," he said adding that both the countries should focus on common interests. "I am sure that this relationship will go forward."
Yang said Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet on the sidelines of the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) summit in Brazil this month and work together to contribute to its success. "We are very much looking forward to make major contribution to make the BRIC summit successful," he said.
Krishna said the trade between India and China will touch USD 60 billion this year and the issue of trade deficit with China is being discussed. He said the discussions between him and Yang were "purposeful and indeed satisfying."
"We want to have continued, sustained and cordial relations with China. That has been one of the priorities of India's foreign policy. That purpose has been served by my visit to Beijing," he said. "We want to have cordial and friendly ties and lift the bilateral relations to a new level of strategic cooperation and partnership."
Yang said Krishna's visit is "very important" as it is taking place in the 60th of year of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "We have had very good discussions covering broad range of issues. We believe that the relations should be viewed from a strategic vantage point and from long term interest."