Q: Madam, Indo-China relations have seen highs and lows. It is very confusing as to what exactly is the status of our relationship at the moment. After Copenhagen, there was supposed to be this warmth, and then there were all kinds of bickering among the ministers. Please tell us a little more about what the President's visit is going to achieve.
Nirupama Rao: I must start by saying that I do not exactly subscribe to the view you just expressed. I think there is clarity about this relationship, the perspective, the policy that we adopt regarding the improvement and enhancement of relations with China. It is a two-way street.
Look at the trade between the two countries, the way it has mushroomed. True, it is not exactly balanced. India has an adverse trade balance vis-à-vis China. This needs to be addressed through concerted efforts. But the fact is about the manifestation of such strong commercial and economic relationship between the two countries.
Q: What are the bilateral trade figures?
Rao: It was about $43 billion both ways last year. The year before that, the volume was larger. It was about $51 billion. The drop in figures is basically accounted for by the global recession, which also affected trade between India and China last year.
Many people ask me about the issue of stapled visas, or the issue of Chinese projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or the issue of the 'difficulties' faced by Chinese telecom companies. I know these questions are coming and I am going to put this in perspective.
Q:...including Arunachal Pradesh?
Rao: I am not going to refer to that at the moment. But I am referring to these day-to-day issues that seem to crop up. These issues are the subject of continuing discussion between India and China. Obviously, we want to resolve these satisfactorily in a manner that safeguards our legitimate concerns on all these issues.
Q: Would this be a good occasion to discuss with China about its role in containing terror in the region?
Rao: There will be discussions on bilateral issues that concern the relationship. There will be references to the regional situation and the larger context of global issues that concern both countries. On the subject of terror, this is a subject of ongoing discussion with China. I believe they are fully aware where we stand on terrorism in our region and the need for the international community to be clear and aware about the dangers that we face on account of terrorism and the need for neighbours like China to be sensitive to our concerns.
Q: Would you take up the issue of Chinese plans to dam the Brahmaputra, and, if so, in what terms?
Rao: The issue of the usage of the waters of the Brahmaputra has figured consistently in media reports. The issue is also a matter of discussion between India and China. We have the mechanism at the level of experts to look at some water-related issues between India and China.
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As far as the damming of the waters of the Brahmaputra is concerned, every time we take it up with China, they consistently deny they are engaged in activity that would involve diversion - and I emphasise the word diversion - of the waters of the Brahmaputra and, the resultant impact it would have on downstream areas.
We took it up when our external affairs minister was in China in April this year. The Chinese referred to the Zangmu project on the Brahmaputra and they said this was not a project designed to divert waters; it was designed to generate hydro-electricity and, in their words, a run-of-the-river project.
Q: Madam, what is the status of security clearance of Chinese telecom companies?
Rao: Let me first of all say there is no intention to discriminate against any specific country in this regard. Of course, when it comes to certain sectors for foreign investment there are legitimate security concerns that any country needs to safeguard before permitting such investments. Our effort is to deal with it in a predictable, transparent and non-discriminatory manner.
(Excerpts from Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao’s briefing to journalists on May 25, 2010, in New Delhi, on the eve of President Pratibha Patil's visit to China)