Border talks with India make headway: China

BEIJING—Ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao`s maiden visit to India, Beijing has expressed satisfaction over its upgraded strategic ties with New Delhi and said there has been “progress” on the vexed boundary issue.
“Boundary negotiations made progress and border areas remained peaceful and tranquil,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its latest issue of “China`s Foreign Affairs 2006”. The annual report of the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not elaborate on the nature of “progress” made during talks between the special representatives of the two governments since New Delhi and Beijing signed the agreement on the `political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the China-India boundary question in 2005.
However, it noted that the signing of the bilateral agreement during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao`s visit to India last year marked the “successful conclusion” of the first phase of negotiations on the framework for settling the boundary question.—Agencies