Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today cautioned that border tensions and differences over trans- border rivers could become impediments to better ties between India and China, which should strive for a future "defined by cooperation and not by confrontation".
The two countries should show sensitivity to each other's interests and sovereignty and move quickly to resolve their boundary issue, he said while addressing future leaders at the Chinese Communist Party's Central Party School here.
A day after the two countries signed a pact to prevent incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Singh said there were concerns on both sides, "whether it is incidents in the border region, trans-border rivers or trade imbalances".
"Our recent experiences have shown that these issues can become impediments to the full exploitation of the opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation between India and China...," he said.
The two countries, Singh said, are "not destined to be rivals" and "should show determination to become partners".
"More than ever before, the world needs both countries to prosper together...Our future should be defined by cooperation and not by confrontation. It will not be easy, but we must spare no effort," he said.
"What is at stake is the future of India and China; indeed, what may be at stake is the future of our region and our world."
Singh, one of the few visiting leaders accorded the honour of addressing Communist party cadres at the elite institution, was received with a standing ovation and his speech on "India, China - A New Era" was given a huge round of applause by the audience.
He said old theories of alliances and containment are no longer relevant in today's world. "India and China cannot be contained and our recent history is testimony to this. Nor should we seek to contain others," he said.
The Border Defence Cooperation Agreement signed yesterday after talks between Singh and Premier Li Keqiang is aimed at tackling incidents like the incursion by Chinese troops on the LAC in April that triggered a military stand-off.
