Talks with India held in overall friendly atmosphere, says China
China on Thursday played down the differences that marked the strategic dialogue with India and insisted the talks were held in an “overall friendly” atmosphere.
Foreign secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday concluded his two-day Beijing visit with marathon strategic talks with executive vice-foreign minister Zhang Yesui. Earlier, he met foreign minister, Wang Yi and China’s top diplomat, state councilor, Yang Jiechi.
Speaking to the Indian media after the meetings, Jaishankar said it was made clear to the Chinese officials that overwhelming evidence – and support – had been gathered against Pakistanbased terrorist Masood Azhar, for proscribing him in the UN.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said: “The dialogue reached the goals as expected and is of positive significance for bilateral relations.”
“Both sides agreed to maintain the momentum of bilateral relations in the spirit of agreement of two leaders, work out a good programme for 2017 at various levels, advance practical cooperation, strengthen coordination and cooperation on regional and international issues,” he said when asked to comment about the meeting on Thursday.
“In friendly atmosphere, the two sides had an in-depth and comprehensive exchange of views on bilateral relations, international situation and other issues of mutual interest,” he said.
“The two sides reached extensive consensus and shared the view that with similar national conditions, stage of development, China and India have extensive converging interests and huge potential for cooperation,” Geng added.
Geng’s comments after India dismissed China’s contention that it has not furnished enough evidence against Azhar, with Jaishankar telling senior Chinese officials that the burden of proof is not on New Delhi.
China’s efforts to block moves to sanction Azhar at the United Nations, despite its “principled” stand on counter-terrorism, was a political decision, he said. Speaking about relations between the two nations, several experts said they continue to suffer from a trust deficit partly due to New Delhi’s misgivings over strategic and military ties between Beijing and Islamabad.
“Of course, we have problems… like the trust deficit, the media war. India’s opposition to the one belt-one road project is also not positive...” Wang Dehua, an advisor to the China Association of South China, told HT.
“India always wants to portray Pakistan as a supporter of terrorism, which makes it easier for the country to link counterterrorism to the Sino-Pakistani relationship and blame China’s support to Pakistan ...” Lin Minwang, an expert at Institute of International Studies, said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to hold a hearing in April on the plea of a former ISRO scientist, discharged in an espionage case, seeking action against former Kerala DGP Siby Mathews and others who probed the matter.
A bench headed by Dipak Misra fixed the matter for final disposal in the second week of April after the advocate for one of the respondents sought time to file a counter affidavit.
“Let the matter be listed in the second week of April for final disposal. Pleadings shall be completed by then,” the bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and MM Shantanagoudar, said.
Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan , 76, approached the apex court against the judgement of the Kerala high court which had said that no action was required to be taken against the former DGP and two retired Superintendents of Police, KK Joshua and S Vijayan, who were held responsible by CBI for his illegal arrest.
Narayanan has said the division bench of the high court had “failed to appreciate the real undercurrent that passed through the mind of the apex court, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the single judge of the high court in their verdict and on untenable reasons, quashed the order.”
The apex court had in 1998 granted compensation of ₹1 lakh to Narayanan and others.
Later, Narayanan approached NHRC claiming compensation for mental agony and torture suffered by him. The NHRC, after hearing both sides and taking into account the apex court judgement had awarded an interim compensation of ₹10 lakh in March 2001.
Challenging the legality of the HC’s order, Narayanan had contended that,“the illegality in the judgement impugned, if allowed to perpetuate, would only encourage the unlawful action and mindset on the part of the Kerala police to harass innocent persons for extraneous considerations.”