THE People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India established diplomatic relations on 1 April 1950, shortly after the founding of New China. China and India will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020 with 70 celebratory activities, which will inject continuous positive energy into the further development of bilateral relations and international cooperation.

Over the past 70 years, Sino-Indian relations have experienced ups and downs. Although there was a time in the last century when bilateral relations faced many twists and turns due to the border disputes, China and India have generally maintained good relations with each other. It is worth mentioning that the two governments have played a positive guiding role in dealing with some difficulties and setbacks by deploying positive attitudes and policies. It is expected that Sino-Indian relations will continue to be on the right track in the future.

The history of the China-India relationship over 70 years can be roughly divided into the following stages: The first stage was the honeymoon of the bilateral relationship. It refers to the period from the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950 to 1960. The landmark events were the signing of the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet Region of China and India in 1954; the exchange of visits between Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister Jawaharial Nehru; and the interaction between Chairman Mao Zedong and Prime Minister Nehru.

On 1 October 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded, which immediately attracted great attention from the international community, and India was no exception. Nehru once said, ‘the recognition of the People’s Republic of China is the recognition of a major historical event’ and ‘without recognition of this reality, nothing in the Far East can be solved.’ On 1 April 1950, the two sides formally established diplomatic relations. It is worth pointing out that India was the first country in the non-communist bloc to recognize a New China and establish diplomatic relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, friendly exchanges between China and India have shown a good momentum.

 

On 26 January 1951, Chairman Mao Zedong, the top Chinese leader, personally attended India’s Republic Day celebrations (at the Indian Embassy in Beijing) and delivered a passionate speech at a time when China’s national industry was waiting to be rebuilt, and the Chinese people were engaged in a war to resist US aggression and aid North Korea.

On 29 April 1954, China and India signed the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet Region of China and India, which resolved the outstanding historical issues between the two countries in Tibet and ushered in a new era of Sino-Indian relations.

In June 1954, Premier Zhou Enlai visited India and was welcomed by Prime Minister Nehru and hundreds of thousands of Indian people. In October of the same year, an Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Nehru visited China, and was warmly welcomed by Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders of that time.

During the Bandung Conference held in April 1955, Prime Minister Nehru played an important role in China’s emergence as a new country on the world stage. China and India, together with many countries, made outstanding contributions to the cause of unity and anti-imperialism between Asian and multiple African countries. It can be said that the 1950s were the best period in the history of Sino-Indian exchanges.

 

The second stage saw intensified conflicts between China and India. This period from 1960 to 1980 was marked by a border war in 1962 and an era of cold war that lasted nearly two decades. In the late 1950s, serious differences between China and India surfaced around the border and the Tibet issues. After the border war in 1962, Sino-Indian diplomatic relations seriously deteriorated. In fact, before the outbreak of the border dispute, India recalled its ambassador to China in July 1961. A year later, the Chinese ambassador to India Pan Zili also left his post to return home. Subsequently, the level of diplomatic representation between the two countries was downgraded to that of charge d’ affaires. In 1967, there was a diplomatic crisis in which the two sides expelled diplomats and surrounded each other’s embassies.

In addition, both China and India intervened in each other’s internal affairs. India had always explicitly supported the position of the People’s Republic of China on the Taiwan issue. After the border war, however, India forged closer contacts with Taiwan, though its position on the Taiwan issue remained unchanged. In response to India’s support for the Dalai clique, and under the influence of the ‘ultra-left’ trend of thought at home during the Cultural Revolution, China also intervened in the separatist movements in northeastern India, encouraging the Naga and Mizo ethnic groups to rise in revolt against India, and also supported the Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal to overthrow the rule of the Congress party.

With the end of the Cultural Revolution in China and the easing of Sino-Indian relations, China stopped supporting rebel forces in India. In 1976, the two sides resumed diplomatic relations at the ambassador level. From February 12 to 18, 1979, Indian Foreign Minister Vajpayee paid an official visit to China, which was the first formal exchange between senior officials of China and India after nearly two decades. Chinese Foreign Minister Huang Hua and Vajpayee held long talks for three days in a row, for the two sides to reach a consensus and understanding. During the meeting with Vajpayee, Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping said, ‘We should seek common ground while reserving differences, and the border issue can be resolved through friendly consultations, mutual understanding, and accommodation in a fair and reasonable package deal.’ Vajpayee also expressed his positive intention to resolve the border issue, but there was still a wide gulf with China’s position.

 

The third stage was marked by a relaxation of relations between the two countries. Specifically, from 1980 to 2000, two iconic events marked this change: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to China and Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s visit to India. Since the 1980s, great changes have taken place in the international situation. In particular, in the late 1980s, the bipolar pattern characterized by confrontation and tension came to an end. The changes in the world’s strategic situation, especially the relationship between the major powers, created positive conditions for an improvement in Sino-Indian relations.

From June 25 to 29, 1981, Huang Hua, Vice-Premier of the State Council and China’s Foreign Minister, led a delegation to India, which marked the first visit by a senior Chinese leader to India since the outbreak of the border war. Huang Hua and Indian Foreign Minister Narasimha Rao held talks on the international situation, bilateral relations and border issues. The two sides agreed to hold official level talks on the border issue and take necessary measures to improve relations. From December 19 to 23, 1988, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, against great resistance at home, resolutely paid an official goodwill visit to China. This was the first visit by an Indian prime minister to China in 34 years, since Nehru’s visit in 1954. Deng Xiaoping and Rajiv Gandhi held frank talks and put forward the general thought that the two sides should forget the past and face the future positively.

 

In December 1990, Premier Li Peng visited India at the invitation of Prime Minister Rao. At that time, western countries had imposed severe political sanctions on China, and it was rare for a Chinese leader to travel abroad. During the visit, both prime ministers agreed to continue high-level visits between leaders of the two countries, promote in-depth development of bilateral relations, open up and deepen cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, trade, science, technology and culture. They reached an understanding that the border issue between India and China should not become an obstacle to the development of relations, and expressed the hope that an acceptable solution through friendly consultations could be reached at an early date.

In September 1993, Indian Prime Minister Rao paid a return visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Peng. During Rao’s visit, China and India formally signed four documents, including the ‘Agreement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of India on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control in the China-India Border Areas’. In November-December 1996, Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited India at the invitation of Indian President Sharma.

The Indian side attached great importance to the visit and made very careful arrangements. In particular, preventive detention measures were taken against Tibetan exiles, who had prepared to create trouble during the visit. This measure ensured the smooth and harmonious atmosphere of the visit. The leaders of the two countries reached a consensus on many bilateral and international issues, and signed four important agreements, among which the ‘Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures in the Military Field in the Area of Actual Control Line along the Sino-Indian Border’ greatly advanced Sino-Indian relations.

 

The fourth stage can be termed a period of rational development. It specifically refers to a period of about 20 years from the beginning of the new millennium. Its iconic events include the signing of the ‘Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question’, the frequent exchange of visits by Chinese and Indian leaders, and the two informal meetings between Xi Jinping and Modi.

In this new century, China and India began to handle bilateral relations rationally and peacefully. During a visit to China by Indian President Narayanan in May-June 2000, the two sides reiterated that they did not pose a threat to each other. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji’s visit to India in 2001 added new impetus to the improvement of Sino-Indian relations. In 2003, Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee paid a fruitful visit to China, and the two sides signed a programmatic document for the development of bilateral relations, the ‘Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India’.

 

In April 2005, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited India, and the two sides issued a Joint Declaration, promising to establish a strategic cooperative partnership oriented to peace and development, establishing higher trade objectives, and signing an important document entitled ‘Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question’. In November 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a historic visit to India. The two sides agreed to continue to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of the strategic partnership between the two countries and put forward 10 strategies for developing and enriching the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the Joint Declaration.

In January 2008, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited China and published an important document entitled ‘A Shared Vision for the 21st Century of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India’ jointly with China. In October of the same year, Manmohan Singh came to China to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting, which marks the first time that an Indian leader had visited China twice in the same year. When China hosted the Olympic games in August that year, Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the Indian National Congress, was invited to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic games, adding a splendid chapter to the friendly exchanges between the two sides.

In May 2010, Indian President Pratibha Patil visited Beijing. In the same year, the two sides held a series of large-scale events in their respective capitals and other important cities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In March 2013, Li Keqiang took office as Chinese prime minister. On June 19 the same year, Li Keqiang arrived in New Delhi, the first place of his first visit since he took office, indicating that the new Chinese administration attached great importance to India. In October of the same year, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Beijing.

 

In September 2014, at the invitation of Indian President Mukherjee, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India. Xi Jinping delivered an important speech entitled ‘In Joint Pursuit of a Dream of National Renewal’ at the Indian Council of World Affairs. Xi also gave the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Friendship Awards to friendly Indian people and groups in recognition of their contribution to the cause of friendship. Indian Prime Minister Modi broke the practice of Indian diplomacy and received Xi Jinping in his hometown of Gujarat, rather than in the capital New Delhi, which had obvious significance.

In May 2015, Indian Prime Minister Modi was invited to visit China, and President Xi Jinping also received Modi in his hometown Xi’an in Shaanxi province, which broke the usual practice. In addition, it is particularly worth noting that in recent years, in addition to an exchange of visits on bilateral occasions, the leaders of China and India have arranged meetings on many different international occasions. This only confirms the importance the leaders attach to bilateral relations, and reflects the warm relations between the two countries and the strengthening of international cooperation.

From June to August 2017, there was a serious stand-off between the armed forces of China and India in the Donglang (Doklam) region. As the top leaders of the two countries maintained their strategic determination at that critical moment, the imminent crisis was resolved in a timely manner. From 27 to 28 April 2018, Xi Jinping invited Modi to hold an informal meeting in Wuhan, China, to carry out strategic communication on the world that is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and to exchange in-depth views on the overall, long-term, and strategic development of bilateral relations in the future, thus promoting a clear turnaround in relations in the event of setbacks and a return to the right track.

 

At the same time, leaders of both sides recognized that Sino-Indian relations go far beyond the scope of bilateral relations, and have a broader regional significance and global impact. Based on the above consensus, Sino-Indian relations are in a state of benign development. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi have met several times on various occasions, which can even be termed as ‘meeting in each conference’. For example, they met in the tense schedule during the G20 Summit, the BRICS Summit, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, and other similar international gatherings.

In October 2019, Xi Jinping went to India for the second round of informal meetings with Modi. The two sides also plan a series of activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. It can be expected that relations between the two countries will develop rapidly along a rising track for a long time to come.

China and India are linked by mountains and rivers, and are both emerging and developing countries. It is in the common interest of both countries to promote world multipolarization and economic globalization. The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. It can be predicted that China and India, which established diplomatic relations 70 years ago, will strive to improve bilateral relations and vigorously strengthen international cooperation in the years to come.

 

China and India are closely linked by mountains and rivers, and share a 1700-kilometre long border. Although the long border has not been formally demarcated, which has resulted in great disputes between the two sides, good-neighbourly diplomacy has been the policy that China has adopted since the Reform and Opening-up. Since India introduced economic reforms in the 1990s, it has put the focus of national strategy on properly handling relations with neighbouring countries. India naturally pays great attention to its relations with China, its largest neighbour in the North.

Since the beginning of the new century, successive Indian administrations have been relatively active or rational and pragmatic in the policy towards China. Since the Modi government came to power in 2014, its attitude towards China has been positive on the whole. In May 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party won the general election again, which initiated the Modi 2.0 era. On October 11 and 12, 2019, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Chennai, a southern Indian city. The two leaders exchanged frank and in-depth views on Sino-Indian relations and international issues of common concern, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, which injected a strong impetus into the sound and stable development of Sino-Indian relations.

 

Since the reform and opening-up years, the economy in China has grown rapidly, and its economic development has attracted worldwide attention. China has now become the second-largest economy in the world. The overall trade between the two sides has shown a rapid increase, with the volume on both sides approaching 100 billion US dollars in 2018, nearly 40 times as much as in 1999. In addition, India is also an important market for China’s outbound project contracting, and China has increased investments in India in recent years. Many Chinese enterprises, such as Huawei, ZTE and Xiaomi, have found huge business opportunities in the Indian market. Haier, Sinosteel, Dongfang Electric Corporation and other enterprises have invested a considerable amount in India and operate there smoothly.

Since the 1992 economic reforms in India, economic development has increasingly become the focus of national strategy. All administrations have vigorously prioritized developing the economy as the primary task for strengthening and enhancing the reputation of the government. Since taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Modi has shown determination to push forward reforms, propose many encouraging ideas, and try to put it all into action. India, for example, has launched a development strategy featured ‘made in India’ in 2014 in the hope of turning India into a ‘new global manufacturing centre’.

In terms of growth rates, in recent years, India has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Although the growth rate in 2019 was significantly lower, the need for economic and trade cooperation with China has become imperative. The GDP in India reached US $270 million in 2018, ranking seventh in the world. In 2019, it is likely to surpass France and the United Kingdom, ranking as the fifth-largest economy in the world.

Narendra Modi won the general election in May 2019 and earned a second term to govern. Shortly after forming the cabinet, he said India would strive to achieve the goals of an economy as large as $5-trillion US dollars. This goal requires India to significantly improve its infrastructure and strive to attract foreign investment. China has a considerable advantage in this regard. Therefore, Sino-Indian economic and trade cooperation holds great potential, and the inherent demand for strengthening economic relations is very strong.

 

China and India, as two developing countries, basically face the same difficulties and problems in responding to world economic, political, security and environmental pressures. Especially in the current situation of unilateralism, rampant populism, and rising protectionism, China and India face similar problems in many spheres. The challenges encountered in the rise of China and India are not what a single country can resist or overcome. Therefore, a tacit understanding, coordination, and cooperation among China, India and other countries in the same situation is essential. The population of China and India has reached 2.8 billion, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the world. China and India are both emerging economies and large countries that are expanding their influence. Their cooperation is of strategic significance and could influence the world. As some people point out, ‘when China and India speak together, the world must listen to them.’ In this context, it is of great significance for China and India to strengthen cooperation in the international arena.