By K J M VarmaBeijing, Oct 13 (PTI) Former prime minister RajivGandhi's visit to China in 1988 was an "ice breaking" trip andplayed a very important role in resuming and developingfriendship between the two countries, a former Chinesediplomat has said.
Zeng Xyyong, who worked as a councillor at the ChineseEmbassy in Delhi, wrote in an article that Gandhi's meetingwith Li Lianqing, China's Ambassador to India in 1987, brokethe ice in bilateral ties leading to his visit to Beijing,the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years.
As a "new generational leader" Gandhi aspired to promotethe rise of India by carrying out economic reforms but foundthat the environment hindered his objective, Zeng wrote in anarticle, providing a rare insight into Chinese assessment ofwhat led Gandhi to visit China and his close door meetingswith the top Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping.
The article, part of a book titled 'stories of China andIndia', was circulated to the media ahead of the Congress ofthe ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) to be held here onOctober 18 in which Chinese President Xi Jinping was expectedto get a second five-year term.
"Over all, Rajiv Gandhi visit to China was an icebreaking trip, very important in resuming and developingfriendship between China and India," he wrote in the article.
The book is a compilation of nostalgic accounts of formerChinese diplomats who served in India. Besides India, only twoother books, one on Pakistan and the other on Nepal containingwrite-ups by Chinese diplomats, were displayed at the CPCmedia centre.
"India had a tense relationship with Pakistan for manyyears, it got involved in civil war in Sri Lanka in 1987. Nosubstantial results had occurred in border negotiations withChina," Zeng said outlining his assessment of Gandhi'sdecision to restore ties with China.
Zeng alleges that the longest standoff between the Indianand Chinese armies at Sumdorongchu in 1986 when the troops hadan eyeball to eyeball stalemate, similar to one at to therecent Dokalam, was "orchestrated" by India to "intensifymilitary confrontation while setting up a border state ofArunachal Pradesh".
"Tensions thus escalated further souring bilateral ties",he said.
"This made Rajiv Gandhi feel uneasy. He was worried thatif things continued like that, the opposition party would useagainst him in the next general election, threatening hiscontinuation in office," he said.
"Therefore, he began to consider adjusting his Chinapolicy" and sought a "private appointment" with the thenChinese Ambassador in Delhi Li Lianqing, Zeng said.
His observation about Sumdorongchu valley, which islocated east of tri-junction with Bhutan and not far fromDokalam, were interesting as for the official accounts ofIndia it was sparked off by Chinese troops occupying an Indianpatrol point, vacated during winter.
Indian army in a daring counter move placed the troops indominating heights and set up posts closer to the Chinesepositions.
China launched a media blitzkrieg similar to the oneduring Dokalam where Indian troops intervened to stop Chinesefrom building a strategic road in area claimed by Bhutan,close to India's Chicken Neck corridor connecting North East.
Status quo was restored in Sumdorongchu after about sevenyears of negotiations to stabilise the situation. The Dokalamstandoff lasted 73 days.
The Indian counter move at Sumdorongchu was widelyregarded as strengthening New Delhi's stature ahead of RajivGandhi's visit to Beijing in December 1988 during which boththe sides agreed to negotiate a boundary settlement and wouldmaintain peace and tranquillity at the boundary.
In his article, Zeng also provided details of Gandhi'stalks with the then Chinese Premier Li Peng and top leaderDeng Xiaoping who succeeded Mao Zedong.
Li told Gandhi that the border issue could be resolvedwith "mutual understanding and mutual accommodation".
He also said that China had taken note of the position bythe successive Indian governments that "Tibet is part ofChina: India doesn't interfere in China's domestic affairs.
"Tibetan separatists were not allowed to conduct anti-China activities in India. China highly appreciate India'sprincipled stand," he said.
In his meeting with Gandhi, Deng said relationshipbetween India and China had been "very good in the 1950s butturned sour for a long period after that".
In an apparent reference to the 1962 war, Deng toldGandhi that "now was moment to forget those unpleasant thingsand look to the future".
"Rajiv Gandhi agreed saying he hoped bilateral relationswould be fully restored," Zeng said.
Though Gandhi lost elections subsequently, successiveIndian governments took more positive approach to improve tieswith China, he said.
"The situation in the Sino-Indian border region was lesstense. Sino-Indian relations were back on track", he said.
Li who made a reciprocal trip to New Delhi in 1991clarified during his talks with the then Indian PrimeMinister, P V Narasimha Rao that "China would not get involvedin any dispute between India and Pakistan hoping that theissues could be resolved in a reasonable manner throughpeaceful consultation", Zeng wrote. PTI KJV MRJ AKJMRJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.