Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.s2.t4: Visit of Indian Leaders to China Since the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.s2.t4
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Visit of Indian Leaders to China Since the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
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On April 1, 1950, the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations formally. Since then, many Indian leaders have paid visits to China at the invitations of Chinese state leaders which have promoted the two countries' mutual understanding, boosted bilateral relations and enhanced India-China friendship.
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From October 19-30, 1954, Jawaharlal Nehru in the capacity of Indian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and his daughter Indira Gandhi paid a visit to China and held three talks with Mao Zedong on 'The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence' and on issues like 'whether making war a policy tool is beneficial'. There were differences between the two sides in the talks, but this friendly argument did not hamper the two countries to reach a consensus in facing common tasks. Both sides believed that they should work together to prevent wars and win a lasting peace. During this visit, Jawaharlal Nehru also had four talks with the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. These talks further consolidated the negotiations between the two governments held not long ago about the relations between Chinese Tibet and India and the results of Zhou Enlai's visit to India.
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From December 19-23, 1988, the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi paid a state visit to China and held talks with Li Peng and Deng Xiaoping, respectively. Both prime ministers also reached internal understanding of the guiding principles of solving India-China border disputes, which contributed a lot to the settlement of India-China border disputes and represented a new starting point for the improvement and development of India-China relations. Gandhi expressed the resolve of India to seek mutually beneficial settlement of the disputes and put forward the concept of “parallel working” that is to actively develop bilateral relations in other areas while seeking a way for the settlement acceptable for both countries. For that matter, both sides agreed to establish a joint working group for the settlement of border issues and other joint working groups for issues related to economy, trade, science and technology and signed the *Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation*, *Air Service Agreements* and the *Plan on Implementing the Three Annual Cultural Cooperation Agreements*.
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Indian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru on his arrival in Beijing on October 19, 1954
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From May 18-23, 1992, Indian President Ramaswamy Venkataraman was invited to pay a state visit to China, which was the first-ever visit made by any Indian president since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China. President Venkataraman held talks with President Yang Shangkun and met with Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese Premier Li Peng, respectively. Both state leaders had an extensive exchange of views on bilateral, regional and global issues. Both sides agreed to further recover and develop India-China traditional friendship and signed the *Agreement on Entry and Exit of Border for Trade*.
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From September 6-9, 1993, Indian Prime Minister Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao was invited to pay an official goodwill visit to China. Both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern and signed four documents including the *Agreement on Maintaining Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control in the China-India Border Areas*. According to the agreement, the two countries agreed to address border issues through peaceful and friendly negotiations. Both sides agreed not to go for arbitrary use and threat of force. Both sides agreed to strictly respect and abide by the control line in between before the final settlement of border issues. Both sides agreed to maintain their respective military forces in the line of actual control at the minimum level appropriate for good neighbourly and friendly relations between the two countries. The term 'line of actual control' appeared for the first time in the official document signed between the two countries. After the signing of the agreement, the Indian and Chinese armies started to exchange visits and spontaneous border trade became active.
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From May 28-June 3, 2000, Indian President Kocheril Raman Narayanan paid a week-long visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Apart from Beijing, the capital city of China, President Narayanan also visited Dalian and Kunming. Both sides jointly commemorated the 50ᵗʰ anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and compared notes extensively on international and regional issues of common concern. The two sides also reached consensus on many issues, such as promoting global diversified development, strengthening the role of the United Nations, fully embodying the representativeness of developing countries in reforming the United Nations Security Council, establishing just and rational international political and economic new order and jointly safeguarding the peace and stability of South Asian region and the world at large. Both sides also agreed to set up a “China-India Famous Persons Forum”. In 2004, Narayanan visited Beijing again and attended and addressed the “International Symposium on Celebrating the 50ᵗʰ Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” organised by Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs.
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From June 22-27, 2003, the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid a six-day official visit to China at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao. Several Chinese leaders met Vajpayee in Beijing and had an extensive exchange of views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common concern. Both sides signed 11 cooperative documents including the *Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India and strengthened bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various areas. In *The Declaration*, India “recognises that Tibet Autonomous Region is part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China and reiterates that it will not allow Tibetans to engage in political activities against China in India”. This was the first time for the Indian government to recognise the legitimacy that Tibet was Chinese territory in the form of official documents. India and China agreed to appoint their respective special representatives to discuss the framework to solve border issues from the larger picture of the overall bilateral relationship, and to enable the two countries to enter the specific implementation stage to solve the boundary issues left over by history. “The two countries are not threat to each other and will not settle for the use of force and the threat of force,” the agreement mentioned in *The Declaration* is actually “a no war agreement” that held important significance for the security and peace of the two countries. ‘*The Declaration*’ actually enabled the two countries to establish mutual trust in politics from a legal perspective, which paved the way for the two countries to carry out economic and cultural cooperation and develop the overall national relationship. ‘*The Declaration*’ laid a clear emphasis on the economic complementarily between the two nations and the establishment of a joint research group of both Chinese and Indian officials and economists. ‘*The Declaration*’ also put forward that the two countries will establish a fiscal and financial dialogue and cooperation mechanism, and set up cultural centre in each other’s country for bilateral cultural exchanges. All these measures were firstly adopted between the two countries. The signing of ‘*The Declaration*’ demonstrated that India and China will establish even longer, more stable and more persistent bilateral relations. Prime Minister Vajpayee’s visit made historical breakthroughs in bilateral relations between India and China and helped the two countries enter a new era of dialogue and cooperation.
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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the Olympic venues on his visit to China in 2008
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From January 13-15, 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was invited by Wen Jiabao to pay a state visit to China. He met Chinese President Hu Jintao and Wu Bangguo, President of the NPC Standing Committee, respectively and held talks with Wen Jiabao. Both sides reached a common ground on bilateral relations and on international and regional issues of common concern. Both prime ministers attended the founding ceremony of China-India Joint Medical Mission. Prime Minister Singh delivered a speech at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. During his visit, both sides signed *A Shared Vision for the 21ˢᵗ Century between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India*, pointing out that India and China were two largest developing countries in the world. Both sides recognised that they shouldered the historical responsibility for ensuring comprehensive, balanced and sustainable social and economic development of the two countries and boosting the peace and development of Asia and the world at large. The two sides resolved to boost the building of a world of long lasting peace, common prosperity and harmony. After this visit, India and China witnessed strengthened mutual trust in politics and were able to look at the relations from a historical and broader perspective. Both sides also agreed to further close consultation and coordination in international and regional issues and take joint response to challenges in traditional and non-traditional fields. When it comes to the border issues, India and China agreed to reach a just, rational and feasible solution at an early date from a strategic perspective and the larger picture of bilateral relations and through equal consultation and mutual understanding and mutual accommodation. This visit also increased mutual trust and deepened cooperation between the two countries and exerted positive and far-reaching influence on a long-term development of India-China relations.
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From May 26-31, 2010, Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil visited China. Chinese President Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, President of the NPC Standing Committee, Wen Jiabao, Chinese Premier and Jia Qinglin, Chairman of CPPCC held talks with President Patil, respectively. Both sides had an in-depth exchange of views of common concern, such as on furthering the development of India-China strategic partnership and reached consensus. Patil accompanied by the then Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was present at the Reception Marking the 60ᵗʰ Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and China. Apart from Beijing, Patil also went to Luoyang to attend the inauguration ceremony of Indian Style Buddhist Hall in the White Horse Temple and went to Shanghai to visit the pavilions of the World Expo.
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(*Zhang Ran*)