PRC/INDIA: PRESIDENT HU JINTAO'S STATE VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 024199 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV IN CH SUBJECT: PRC/INDIA: PRESIDENT HU JINTAO'S STATE VISIT TO INDIA HAILED AS A SUCCESS REF: (A) BEIJING 23849 Classified By: External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Chinese President Hu Jintao's November 20)23 visit to India strengthened the "mutual political trust" and "strategic cooperation" between Beijing and New Delhi, according to MFA officials and third country diplomats. The Summit between President Hu and Indian Prime Minister Singh resulted in the signing of a wide-ranging Joint Declaration and 13 agreements. Among the agreements, the PRC and India have agreed to expand cooperation in civilian nuclear technology and to expedite the settlement of the outstanding border disagreements. The two leaders also agreed that Sino-Indian relations are of global strategic significance. End Summary. Smooth Visit with Four Overarching Results -------------- ¶2. (C) Indian DCM Pradeep Kumar Rawat told us November 29 that New Delhi has described the visit as a success and that the discussions were friendly and cordial. This was the fifth meeting in the past 18 months between President Hu and Prime Minister Singh, but the first state visit by a Chinese President in a decade. The two leaders have a "good rapport," Rawat stated, and held a 20 minute one-on-one restricted meeting. Despite Tibet exiles holding large protests, hunger strikes and a reported attempt at self-immolation, Rawat said Beijing did not lodge any formal complaints. President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Singh held three rounds of talks during Hu's visit. In addition Hu also met with President Kalam, Vice President Shekhawat, Foreign Secretary Menon and the leaders of India's opposition parties. (Note: It is unusual for President Hu to meet with the leaders of opposition parties when making state visits. End Note.) While in India, Hu also visited Agra, to see the Taj Mahal and Mumbai, to attend the jointly hosted CEO's Forum. ¶3. (C) MFA Asian Department Division Director for India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan Huang Xilian told poloff separately that said the visit solidified the "strategic relationship" established in 2005 and achieved four overall results: -President Hu and Prime Minister Singh planned the future development of the "strategic cooperative relationship" between the two countries. -They announced a 48-paragraph Joint Declaration outlining the "ten-pronged" strategy for deepening PRC-India partnership and mutual political trust. -The two governments also signed 13 agreements. -Finally, Huang said that the Summit sent a strong message to the international community that China and India want long-term friendship and are willing to work "hand-in-hand" for the common development of the Asian region. A Bilateral Relationship of Global Strategic Significance -------------- ¶4. (C) During the talks, Hu and Singh characterized the overall bilateral relationship as "satisfactory," Huang said. China and India share a wide range of sustainable common interests and both countries shoulder a responsibility to improve the living standards of their peoples and to promote peace, stability and development in Asia, according to Huang. The two leaders agreed that Sino-Indian relations transcend mere bilateral relations and have "global and strategic significance." Echoing Huang's assessment, Rawat stated that New Delhi was particularly satisfied with Beijing's pledge to support India's participation in the East Asia Summit and its "reaffirmation of support" for India's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations BEIJING 00024199 002 OF 003 Security Council. Huang claimed that Prime Minister Singh and India's opposition party leaders told President Hu that they all favor strengthening relations with China. Hu's Proposals -------------- ¶4. (C) President Hu made several proposals during his talks with Prime Minister Singh, Huang stated. To strengthen dialogue and consultations to deepen political trust, Hu invited Prime Minster Singh and President Kalam to visit China in 2007. According to Huang, India eagerly accepted Hu's proposal that the two foreign ministers establish a "hotline." Hu proposed to deepen economic cooperation by accelerating the completion of the Regional Trade Agreement feasibility study. The study, currently underway, is to be completed by October 2007. The two countries also set a new target for overall trade volume of 40 billion United States dollars by 2010, as well as pledging to eliminate obstacles to economic cooperation and integration and signed the Mutual Investment and Protection Agreement. ¶5. (C) Hu proposed for the two countries to promote social and cultural exchanges and both sides agreed to open new consulates, Huang stated. Beijing will open a consulate in Kolkata, while India will open one in Guangzhou. Official tourism offices will also be opened in each country and 2007 will be the year of "China-India Tourism Friendship." Hu also proposed that China and India cooperate in multilateral organizations to safeguard their common interests. Huang claimed that Hu told Singh China has no interests in South Asia other than to see it peacefully develop. ¶6. (C) When asked which side took the lead on drafting the Joint Declaration and the 13 Agreements, Indian DCM Rawat responded that the successful Summit was the result of collaborative efforts and intense preparations that came down to the wire. Rawat highlighted the agreements between New Delhi and Beijing to establish an exchange mechanism between experts on water resources and enhanced cooperation in fighting terrorism and cross-border crimes. Civilian Nuclear Cooperation? -------------- ¶7. (C) Huang refused to give any details about the joint agreement to develop civilian nuclear technology and only stated that all cooperation, bilateral or international, on nuclear energy should abide by existing international treaties and rules. Huang added that Indian media reports claiming that Beijing told New Delhi it endorses the United States-India Civilian Nuclear cooperation agreement are misleading. He quickly added that Hu's visit to India was a state visit so the details of each proposal, including civilian nuclear cooperation, were not discussed. The details, Huang claimed, were negotiated prior to the visit. Indian DCM Rawat stated that negotiations on civilian nuclear cooperation between the two countries were an "on- going process without a set timeline." Step Up Efforts on Border Negotiations -------------- ¶8. (C) President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Singh agreed to quicken the pace of the border negotiations between the two countries' Special Representatives and, according to Director Huang and Indian DCM Rawat, the ninth round of talks between the special representatives will be held in the "near" future. Rawat added that both sides are "satisfied with the progress achieved thus far." ¶9. (C) Comment: MFA Asian Department India, Nepal, Sri Lankan and Bhutan Division Director Huang Xilian traveled as part of President Hu's official entourage to India and was directly involved in drafting language contained in the Joint Declaration. In 2005, after Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India, the Indian Embassy in China did not provide a briefing on the visit. Indian Embassy officer Madhusudhanan Sridharan told POLOFF that in the past the Indian Foreign BEIJING 00024199 003 OF 003 Ministry prohibited Indian Embassy diplomats from providing briefings on visits that occur outside of Beijing. DCM Rawat's November 29 briefing, according to Rawat and Sridharan, demonstrates a new effort at creating transparency in regards to developments in India-China relations. End Comment. Randt