National

Tang Jiaxuan arrives; talks with Natwar Singh today

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI, OCT. 18. The Chinese State Councillor, Tang Jiaxuan, who supervises the country's foreign policy, arrived here this evening for talks with the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh. He will also call on the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday.

``His visit is part of the continued high-level exchanges between India and China,'' the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Referring to Mr. Tang's talks with Mr. Natwar Singh tomorrow, the release added: ``The two leaders will review recent developments in India-China relations and exchange views on the further improvement of bilateral relations. They will also discuss regional, international and multilateral issues of mutual interest.''

Mr. Singh will host a dinner in Mr. Tang's honour at Hyderabad House on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Tang, who was the country's Foreign Minister from 1998 to 2003, is placed above that post as far as policy-making is concerned. He will also meet the National Security Adviser, J.N. Dixit, and the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani. Mr. Dixit will host a lunch in Mr. Tang's honour on Wednesday.

This will be the highest-level contact between India and China since the Congress-led Government assumed office.

The Chinese Foreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing, and Mr. Natwar Singh have already met, as have the Special Representatives on the border question, J.N. Dixit and Dai Bingguo.

Another meeting between the Special Representatives is expected before the yearend. The State Councillor heads a high-level delegation, including the Vice-Foreign Minister, Wu Dawei, the Deputy Secretary General of the State Council, Chen Jinyu, the Vice Minister for Culture, Meng Xiaosi, and the president of the Exim Bank of China, Yang Zilin. He will visit the National Museum and the Humayun's Tomb before visiting the Tata Consultancy Services office in the capital.

Mr. Tang will pay a visit to Gurgaon in the afternoon before beginning his talks with Mr. Natwar Singh in the evening.

In a recent interview to PTI, Mr. Tang was asked about his country's position on India's entry into the United Nations' Security Council as a permanent member.

Greater Indian role

He said: ``The Chinese Government is supportive of a reasonable and necessary reform of the U.N. Security Council, believing that the reform should take into account the interest of all parties, the developing countries in particular, follow the principle of equitable distribution, and give priority to increased representation of the developing countries. The Chinese Government values India's influence and role in international and regional affairs and is willing to see a greater Indian role in the international arena, the United Nations included.''

Interestingly, the State Councillor's visit comes days before the October 21 meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia in Almaty, Kazakhastan. This meeting is part of the annual consultations between the three countries.

A statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website on a multipolar world had this to say: ``Currently, while complex and deep changes are taking place in the international situation, the trend towards world multipolarisation has not changed. There are nearly 200 countries with a population of more than six billion in the world. A myriad of differences exists between these countries in ethnic traditions, religions and cultures, economic levels and political systems. It is hardly possible to imagine how to unify them with one model and one value or to `lead' them by one country.''

``Our efforts to promote the development of the world towards multipolarisation are not targeted at any particular country, nor are they aimed at re-staging the old play of contention for hegemony in history. Rather, these efforts are made to boost the democratisation of international relations, help the various forces in the world, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, enhance coordination and dialogue, refrain from confrontation and preserve jointly world peace, stability and development,'' it added.

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