Chinese Premier quotes Upanishad

[Guest guest]

Beijing: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today quoted extensively from the Upanishads

in his speech. Wen quoted the Sariraka Upanishad to discount the theory that

China and India are rivals and not friends: ‘‘May he protect us both together;

may he nourish us both together; may we work conjointly with great energy, may

our study be vigorous and effective; May we not hate any; let there be peace,

let there be peace, let there be peace!’’ —PTI

 

BEIJING, MARCH 14: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday announced that he will

visit India soon with a three-point agenda, including enhancing bilateral ties

to strategic levels and to seek a ‘‘fair’’ resolution to the vexed boundary

issue on the basis of ‘‘mutual accommodation and accommodation of reality’’.

Speaking at his annual customary press conference at the end of the 10-day

session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Wen stressed China and India

were not rivals but friends, and both countries shall work together to tap the

potential of bilateral cooperation and find a ‘‘fair, reasonable and mutually

acceptable plan’’ to solve their border disputes, Wen said amid rare applause

from over 700 reporters at the Great Hall of the People.

‘‘I hope you can send my message back to the great Indian people, that we’re not

competitors, we are friends,’’ said Wen when asked to comment on bilateral

relations, ahead of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic

relations between India and China on April 1. Stating that China and India will

celebrate next month the 55th anniversary of the establishment of their

diplomatic ties, Wen expressed the hope that the anniversary would ‘‘become a

new starting point for Sino-Indian friendly cooperation’’. Wen is expected to

be in India in early April at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Stressing that the development of Sino-Indian relations has ‘‘entered a new

stage’’ in recent years, Wen said that during his planned visit, he would seek

consensus mainly on three issues with his Indian hosts. ‘‘Both China and India

should fully recognise the great significance of Sino-Indian friendship, not

only to Asia, but also to the entire world,’’ said Wen, adding that the

importance of friendly ties was ‘‘immeasurable’’. On the boundary issue, Wen

suggested that the two countries first establish the principle for the

resolution of the issue, which was left over by history, on the basis of equal

consultation and mutual understanding and accommodation with both respect for

history and accommodation for reality. The boundary issue, he said should be

solved by ‘‘a fair reasonable solution that is acceptable to both sides. It

should also be found on the basis of equal-consultations, mutual understanding

and mutual accommodation, respect for history and accommodation of reality.’’

—PTI

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