News & Analysis » India

"Asia Century A Dream Until China, India Come Together"

(RTTNews) - An "Asia century" will remain a dream until the two giants, China and India, resolve their differences and treat each other with trust and respect, a leading state-run Chinese newspaper said Saturday.

Advocating closer Sino-Indian ties on lines of China's "all- weather friendship" with Pakistan, the "China Daily" wrote in a commentary that to maintain a peaceful external environment, China also would like to build closer ties with its major southern neighbor.

"India has always harbored a grudge over China's all-weather friendship with Pakistan. The China-Pakistan relationship is based on mutual trust and mutual support in nation-building and international co-operation," it said.

If China could become a "mutual friend to the two Asian rivals," it would contribute more to regional peace and stability, besides eventually serving India's interests as well, it added.

The newspaper also noted that as China increased its influence internationally, many Indians, including high-ranking officials, were seeing China as a potential rival or even a threat to India. This partly explained why New Delhi was yet to recognize Beijing's market economy status, while over 60 countries had granted such status to it.

It further said such anti-China sentiments would not help cultivate a friendly atmosphere for bilateral ties to flourish, but rather sow the seeds of distrust between the two countries.

It also called for the resolution of the border dispute between the two countries and the resumption of the dialogue for its demarcation begun in the 1980s to formally delineate about 1250 miles (2000 kms) of their shared border.