India and China on Sunday discussed the possibility of working in collaborative projects in third countries, including joint initiatives in Afghanistan to tap large mineral resources, as part of efforts to broadbase their relationship.
National security adviser Shivshankar Menon, who reached Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy, held talks with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi on Sunday. After 90-minute talks at the foreign ministry, Mr Yang, accompanied by Mr Menon, said the talks “went off very, very well” and covered “the whole horizon” of issues.
They also discussed economic issues and bilateral trade, which is expected to touch $60 billion this year.
Pakistan-related issues, including President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit from July 6 to firm up nuclear cooperation, also figured in the talks. “We went into specifics about certain aspects of our relationship,” Mr Yang said, without directly referring to Pakistan. These are also likely to come up at Mr Menon’s meetings with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and state councillor Dai Bingguo on Monday.
Recent reports indicate that India, China, the US and the European Union are interested in collaborating on developing Afghanistan’s mineral resources.
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2 more killed in Haryana for ‘honour’
Age Correspondent
New Delhi
July 4: Two more teenagers were poisoned to death early Sunday morning in Haryana’s Fatehabad district in a suspected “honour killing”.
The bodies of Shyam and Reena, both in late teens, were discovered in Smain village with pesticide pills scattered around. Police officials said they were “actively” examining if it was a “honour killing”.