Influential Chinese think tanks have called for a new type of great power relationship between China and India similar to the ties Beijing wants to have with the US.
Chinese scholars, while releasing a second 'Blue Book' on Indian Ocean region, called for closer ties between India and China despite differences on the border, Beijing's all-weather ties with Islamabad and Chinese ambivalence on India's aspiration to become a permanent UN Security Council member.
The 'Blue Book' is compiled by scholars of the Research Institute of Indian Ocean Economies, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, all influential official think tanks.
Significantly, the book focuses on just India and Myanmar and not on Sri Lanka where China made big investments in developing Hanbanthota port and the Colombo Port.
India is the first important country in the Indian Ocean, Cuiping Zhu, Editor in Chief of the 'Blue Book', told PTI.
"In this book we suggested new type of great power relationship between the India and China. This is not limited to US-China alone. China and India should have the great power relations," Cuiping, the Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Indian Ocean Economies, said.
The book points out that the new model of 'major-country' relations is vital for the Indian Ocean Region.
Cuiping said contrary to concerns in India, China's focus on Indian Ocean is mainly to ensure safety of its trade routes as much of its oil supplies comes from Middle East through that route.
China respects India's interest in Indian Ocean, she said.
India is the fist economic power in the Indian Ocean and has wanted to become a maritime power for the past 1200 years, she said.
Indian Ocean is important for India from its geo-political and geo-economic interest and China respects that, she said.
While the book has not referred to the Maritime Silk Road proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping for which Beijing has invited India to be a part, Cuiping said China wants to have security cooperation with India to deal with the issue of piracy and protect the safety of trade routes.
The book comes amid a strong push by the Chinese leaders for close ties with India including recent assertion by Xi to Indian Ambassador Ashok K Kantha that furthering good relations with India is his "historic mission".
