Recently at the inauguration of the India-China Media Forum in Delhi, the Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said : “It is a fact that we still have an undefined boundary and, therefore, differences in perception - something that appears from time to time to become an insurmountable problem. But we know, deep in our hearts we know, that not only is this not an insurmountable problem but also that both of us are completely and totally committed to eradication and removal of these irritants in a relationship that is significantly valuable to both of us and which we believe matters enormously in the years to come to the way the world will be shaped. Therefore, as I said, language becomes important to reach out to each other, clear cobwebs of misconceptions, misunderstandings of the past, the present and even of the future.”

It is strange that Khurshid made a concession to the Chinese by terming India’s border with China as “undefined”, despite the Indian Government publishing official map with well defined boundary.

The Chinese Minister of the State Council Information Office, Cai Mingzhao did not make any reference to the boundary issue raked up by Khurshid.

However, the Chinese concerns on the issue is clearly reflected in the China International Strategy Review 2012.

The editor of the journal, Wang Jisi in the foreword has noted that BRICS countries, as well as the vast majority of other newly emerging countries “have not shown clear support for China in its territorial disputes with neighbouring countries.”

Commenting on China’s “security dilemma”, the editor of the journal said “while China is building up its national defence capacities for the sake of its national security, both its neighbouring countries (including India) and the United States not only doubt its intentions to pursue peaceful development, but are also strengthening counter measures and developing coordinated strategies against China, which in turn, is putting even more pressure on the country’s security.”

According to Wang Jisi, China’s investments in its national defence are “still insufficient” and its policies towards its neighbours (including India) and the US are “too weak”.

However, the editor of the journal admitted “in reality, looking at it from an objective point of view, China’s foreign policy is more enterprising and progressive than in the past, with more emphasis on the principle of safeguarding core national interests and thus has been considered ‘too aggressive’ by most of the rest of the world.”

Further, instead of raising the issue of the parts of Indian territory occupied by China including those in Jammu and Kashmir, Khurshid expressed his concerns over the use of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the Chinese.

In a recent interaction with the Chinese media, Khurshid said : “And perhaps the other concern is the extent to which your collaboration and help to them (Pakistanis) is concentrated in the area that we believe they (Pakistanis) have occupied forcibly. If you were building the highway between Islamabad and Karachi, we would not even think twice. But if there is a highway that is being built in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, then we have to consider and speak to you and say, look is it necessary, is it possible that you tone down your concentration here. Now this is a very narrow area in which we need to talk from time to time.

“And then finally of course there is our common endeavour and effort to moves step-by-step towards resolving our boundary issue, the Line of Actual Control. I think we can say with satisfaction that the Special Representatives and other mechanisms in place are moving steadily. And I think we have both rightly decided not to push the pace so that it gives way rather than continue to progress in the manner. And we think we have a very satisfactory progress as far as the boundary dispute is concerned.”