People's Democracy

Huge Scope for bilateral co-operation : China tells visiting CPI(M) delegation

A high level delegation of the Communist Party of India ( Marxist) led by Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member of CPI(M) and comprising V Srinivasa Rao, member of Central Secretariat, Central Committee members, Sudha Sundararaman, Vaikom Viswan and Madan Ghosh is on a seven day visit to China. The delegation is visiting China on the invitation of the Communist Party of China which has been long pending since the 19th Congress of CPI(M).

The official visit began on December 2, 2008. The CPI(M) delegation held discussions with Li Chang Chun, senior member of Standing Committee of Polit Bureau, Communist Party of China and head of Ideological department, which lasted for one hour. The meeting took place at the Great Hall of People where he received the delegation.

During the course of discussion, Li informed the CPI(M) delegation that China is out rightly condemning the terror attack on Mumbai. He also expressed condolence to the people who lost their lives in the bloody attack. Li felt that terrorism emerged as a common problem for all of us in the world. He also said, �Terrorists earlier attacked USA. Now they attacked India, tomorrow China could be their target.�

Li also condoled the death of Surjeet and recollected his meeting with Surjeet in 2001 in Delhi, and said he was a good friend who worked for strengthening India-China relations.

Expressing China�s urge to strengthen relations with India, Li felt that discussions could be held across the table on matters of contention while in the other areas, co-operation must be strengthened. He told the delegation that particularly in the light of global crisis of capitalism, there is a big scope for an expanded co-operation between India and China. Discussing the international developments, Li said that China wants to promote multi-lateralism in international relations and towards this, India and China have an important role to play together.

Li shared the CPI(M)�s assessment about the seriousness of current economic crisis. He also felt that a full effect of this current crisis would only be known by the middle of next year. Li informed the delegation elaborately about the Chinese government�s efforts to minimise the impact of crisis on its economy. He said that China is facing the challenge of the crisis by massive public investments to impact a big economic stimulus. One trillion Yuans (368 billion $) is being spent targeting the improvement of peoples� welfare, infrastructure development, and reconstruction of disaster hit areas.

Prior to this meeting, Wang Giarui, minister (head) International department, Central Committee of Communist Party of China, hosted a welcome banquet where wide ranging discussions on improvement of relations between India and China took place.

On the second day of the visit, the delegation held discussions with Liu Hongcai, minister and Ai Ping, director general of International department, Central Committee, Communist Party of China, where in they dealt with the areas where co-operation can be extended. Minister Li offered to work jointly in the fight against terrorism.

The delegation later visited Chengdu and on this Friday, they visited the earthquake-hit area to study the rehabilitation programmes. From there, the delegation moved to Hunan(popularly known as Yenan), the birth place of Mao, and the centre from where he had reorganised the Communist Party and launched the final victory of the revolution.