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May 16, 2015

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Premiers agree on border dispute

CHINA and India yesterday proposed measures to resolve a long-festering border dispute, as the two countries sought to clear obstacles to a relationship they said could change the international political order.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing, the second leg of his three-day trip to China.

After their formal meeting, Li said: “We do not deny that there are some disagreements between us, but we have far more common interests than differences.

“We have the ability to make the global political and economic order move in a more just and balanced direction.”

The two countries agreed to start annual visits between their militaries, expand exchanges between border commanders and start using a military hotline that has been discussed in recent years to defuse flare-ups on the border, a joint statement said.

“We both believe in maintaining the momentum of talks between special representatives on the border issue in seeking a plan for resolution that is fair and reasonable,” Li told reporters.

Modi told reporters “the re-emergence of India and China and their relationship” would have “a profound impact on the course of this century.”

“Our relationship has been complex in recent decades,” he said, adding there were issues that “trouble smooth development of our relations.”

“But, we have a historic responsibility to turn this relationship into a source of strength for each other and a force of good for the world,” he said. “We are committed to set a new direction between the two largest Asian countries.”

The world’s two largest countries by population also discussed ways to tackle climate change.

China and India, among the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, projected a united front on the issue with a joint statement that asked rich countries to step up efforts to reduce global carbon emissions.

The statement asked wealthy countries to provide finance, technology and other necessary support to emerging countries to help reduce their own emissions.

“The two sides urged the developed countries to raise their pre-2020 emission reduction targets and honor their commitment to provide US$100 billion per year by 2020 to developing countries,” the statement said.

Both countries said they would submit their respective plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions well before crucial global climate talks in Paris later this year and continue to work together in areas such as clean energy technologies, energy conservation and renewable energy.

“China and India are undertaking ambitious actions domestically on combating climate change ... despite the enormous scale of their challenges in terms of social and economic development and poverty eradication,” they said.

The two countries signed 24 documents, including agreements to cooperate in fields ranging from aerospace and railways to tourism and education, as well as to open consulates in Chennai and Chengdu.

A selfie of Modi and Li smiling in the sunshine at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven was posted on the Indian leader’s Weibo and Twitter accounts

“It’s selfie time!” Modi captioned the picture on Twitter. “Thanks Premier Li.”




 

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