China and India pledged to expand cooperation on both regional
and international stages, stated a joint declaration issued on
Tuesday.
The two sides should regularly exchange views on the emerging
security environment in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, and
proactively consult each other on issues of immediate and emerging
concern, said the declaration released during Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to India.
Both sides should maintain regular consultations on issues
pertaining to regional peace, security and stability, such as
regional maritime security, proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction as well as related materials and means of delivery,
said the declaration.
According to the document, the two sides should positively
assess the trilateral dialogue mechanism between China, India and
Russia and agree that exchanges and cooperation need be further
substantiated.
Additionally, both countries condemned all forms of terrorism
and agreed to broaden and deepen the China-India Dialogue Mechanism
on Counter-Terrorism, as well as strengthen cooperation to fight
terrorism, separatism and extremism.
In the declaration, the two sides recognized the pivotal role of
the United Nations in promoting international peace, security and
development, and reiterated their determination to strengthen the
UN system.
The reform of the UN should be comprehensive, ensure balanced
representation among developing and developed countries in the UN
Security Council, and improve its functioning efficiency, the
declaration said, adding that the two sides should conduct
consultations on UN and Security Council reform.
It is consistent with the common interests of the two sides and
to the benefit of the entire international community to establish
an international energy order, being equitable and stable.
China and India would strive for bilateral and international
cooperation to diversify the global energy structure and to
increase the amount of renewable energy sources, it said.
International civilian nuclear cooperation should be advanced
through innovative and forward-looking approaches, while
safeguarding the effectiveness of international non-proliferation
principles, according to the declaration.
Both countries are committed to non-proliferation objectives and
agree to expand their partnership on related issues.
The two sides agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the WTO,
the declaration said, showing that both countries support the
establishment of an open, fair, equitable, transparent and
rule-based multilateral trading system, as well as early resumption
of Doha negotiations.
China and India are determined to safeguard the legitimate
rights and interests of developing countries, according to the
declaration.
In the declaration, the two countries also agreed to expand
their partnership within regional organizations and explore new
possibilities for closer regional cooperation in Asia as well as
consenting to work together closely in the East Asia Summit, the
declaration said.
The Indian side stated that India was among the first countries
to recognize that there is one China. The country said that its one
China policy remained unaltered.
This is the first visit to India by a Chinese head of state in
10 years. And India is the third leg of Hu's four-nation tour,
which has already taken him to Vietnam and Laos, and will also take
him to Pakistan.
(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2006)
