Excellency, the Ambassador of China to India, Mr. Luo Zhaohui,

I would like to extend you a warm welcome to this seminar on India-China relations being jointly organized by the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) and the Institute of China Studies (ICS), New Delhi.

We congratulate the Chinese friends on the successful conclusion of the 19th Party Congress which has been watched with great interest around the world including India. The inclusion of president Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics into the Chines party constitution alongside those of Mao Zedong is a development of great interest signifying the rising stature of President Xi Jinping in the socialist world and in China. The global stature of Mr. Xi Jinping has also risen. This seminar provides us an opportunity to discuss the implications of this development.

It has been stated that China is entering a “new era”. A rejuvenated China will emerge. What does that imply for China, the region, the world? The two-stage roadmap taking China to new height globally. It will emerge a prosperous and strong nation. In simple terms means that China will further enhance its comprehensive national strength in military, economic and political terms. The global balance of power will change. China will defend its core interests. China’s neighbors would be keenly watching how China’s policies will unfold in the new era. The key issue of debate is that China’s rise will be peaceful and promote peace and stability.

China has launched some headline initiatives in the last five years. China has talked about the new type of great power relations and a new policy towards neighborhood. The nomenclature of grate powers needs clarification. Who is included and who is excluded from this list? It will be interesting to know how the new era China will pursue these polices in the backdrop of its ongoing rejuvenation.

The world is passing through a lot of turbulence. President Trump’s ‘America First’ policy is unfolding. There is considerable uncertainty on how the Unite States (US ) will engage with the rest of the world. President Trump is challenging the established assumptions underlying the prevailing world order. His forthcoming visit to some Asian countries will hopefully clarify the US policy towards Asia. His visit to China will throw light on the evolution of US-China relationship at a time when China is entering the new era in its own evolution.

Many of the regional issues have become intractable. The Middle East is entering a new phase as the Islamic State (IS) faces a collapse. The fighters from IS controlled regions can destabilize the countries to which they return. The Kurdish referendum on independence has brought about a new situation which has inherent potential for violence.

With the declaration of independence from Spain by Catalonia, Europe is entering a new phase of turbulence. Several regions like Scotland are restive.

Brexit has dealt a blow to European integration. Negotiations between European Union (EU) and Britain on the latter’s exit are turning out to be tortuous and difficult. Europe is also reeling under the refugee crisis. The right wing in Europe has got new wings. A restive Europe will have profound impact on global situation.

Russia’s relationship with Europe and the US remains fraught. Russia, due to its size, position, military strength and dominance in energy markets has shown that it has a major role to play in the various regions of the world. Russia, India and China (RIC) have developed close engagements in the BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and RIC formats. These relationships will have an impact on different regions.

The situation in East Asia is precarious. The North Korea’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and missiles has caused unprecedented tensions and has made the regional situation highly fragile and precarious. The Rohingya refugee crisis is proving to be difficult to resolve. The radicalization of a section of Rohingya have got radicalized. This will give fillip to the radical elements the world over.

South China Sea is a major artery of global trade. It must remain peaceful and stable. Maritime regions through which a large portion of global trade passes are being militarized. There are concerns about the freedom of navigation and adherence to the international conventions.

Cyber space is emerging as a new frontier of contestation. Terrorist and criminals are using cyber space with impunity to perpetrate cyber-crime and terrorism. What is a matter of worrying that even states do not refrain from using cyber space as a means of warfare. The era of cyberwarfare has dawned while the international community is still struggling to cope with the task of framing norms of behavior in cyber space. The failure of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (UNGGE) to come to any agreement on the norms has exposed the lack of consensus among nations on the question of defining cyber norms.

Sino-Indian relations have evolved. Undoubtedly there is immense potential in Sino-Indian relations that remains untapped. However, from time to time difficulties arise too. Doklam affair was one such episode in the recent past. Fortunately this was resolved. Earlier there have been incidents surrounding Chumar and Depsang. Such incidents cause setbacks to bilateral relations. The two sides need to deepen mutual understanding so that such incidents do not recur and differences do not become disputes.

Prime Minister Modi and President Xi have met several times this year. The two countries also participate in several for a like the RIC, SCO, BRICS, East Asia Summit (EAS), G20. It would be useful if the outstanding issues, particularly the boundary question, are resolved soon. That will help deepen the trust between the two countries. The boundary question has been outstanding for too long. We could begin with the clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to show some progress. One hopes that in the new era of China’s progress, these issues will be resolved satisfactorily.
On the critical issue of terrorism, we see that international community is unable agree to declare even known terrorists like Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. This causes disappointment in India. The failure to act in concert against terrorism and to unequivocally condemn state sponsorship of terrorism can only embolden terrorism further. Our cooperation on terrorism will be strengthened if the technical hold on the naming of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist is removed.

India’s case for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers‘ Group (NSG) is strong. India’s non-proliferation credentials are impeccable. Its application cannot be compared with any other countries. We request the Chinese friends to consider the Indian application on its merit. It cannot be compared with other applicant with dubious record on nonproliferation.

In conclusion, I would like to recall the Sino-Indian joint statement issued after the 2015 summit meeting in Beijing. The two sides had said “simultaneous re-emergence of India and China as two major powers in the region and the world” offers a momentous opportunity for realization of the Asian Century. It was agreed that the process of the two countries pursuing their respective national developmental goals and security interests must unfold in a mutually supportive manner with both sides showing mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s concerns, interests and aspirations. This constructive model of relationship between the two largest developing countries, the biggest emerging economies and two major poles in the global architecture provides a new basis for pursuing state-to-state relations to strengthen the international system.”
Even as China enters the new era, the model of Sino-Indian cooperation - showing mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s concerns, interests and aspirations – should be preserved.

Thank you.