India's concerns over China's plans to build two nuclear reactors for Pakistan and bilateral issues are set to figure prominently during talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy Shiv Shankar Menon and the Chinese leadership in Beijing from Saturday.
Menon, the National Security Advisor, is expected to meet a number of top Chinese officials in the next three days, specially the influential Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, who is his designated counterpart to discuss Sino-Indian border dispute.
As special envoy of Prime Minister, Menon carries a wide mandate to discuss a whole range of thorny issues, results of which observers in Beijing expect would set tone and direction to the future Sino-India ties.
"I expect the visit to consolidate the gains made during the visit of President Pratibha Patil. Menon's visit could set a new direction and purpose to bilateral ties," Ma Jiali, senior scholar attached to Chinese government run Institute of Contemporary International Relations told PTI on the eve of Menon's visit.
The bilateral ties showed an upswing since early this year coming from the shadows of spat and suspicion over number of issues last year as the two emerging Asian giants, seizing the opportunity of 60th year of establishment of diplomatic relations gave a new found direction.
The efforts to give a new fillip to ties culminated with the May visit of Indian President during which, according to the top Indian diplomats here the Chinese leadership went out of the way to convey a very strong message of establishing a close and vibrant strategic ties focussing more on trade and international cooperation on issues like climate change.
But once again the Pakistan factor has cast a shadow on the new found optimism as China pressed ahead with its plans to build two 650 mw nuclear reactors to Pakistan disregarding concerns from India and the US. China has already informed the 46-member Nuclear Suppliers Group, about its plans.
Menon's visit being worked out at India's initiative comes just three days ahead of the arrival of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari here, which showed the urgency India attached to this issue.
China has not spoken openly about the reactors and the issues relating to them were expected to be firmed up during Zardari's visit from July 6-11.
"India should not pay attention to the Chinese plans to build civilian nuclear reactors to Pakistan. It is under the supervision and guidelines of International Atomic Energy Agency. This should not worry India," Ma said.
He said China has already effected a major change to its South Asia policy. It is not the same as it was in 1980 he said, apparently referring to open pro-Pakistan policy followed by Beijing to check India's reach and influence.
"China has now separated relations with India and Pakistan and wants good relations with both of them," Ma said.
"Our present policy towards India is different from the past and we look for a vibrant bilateral relationship with India. China take India as a strategic ally and friend," Ma, who had visited India several times, said.
He said, Menon being a former envoy to Beijing and with vast contacts with Chinese officials perhaps remove the misconceptions.
"He speaks Chinese well. That is an added advantage," Ma said, adding that the two countries could step up cooperation in climate energy, handing of the international financial crisis and regional security.
For its part China too was expected to convey its concerns over to Menon over recent Indian curbs over Chinese telecom equipment. Some of the companies like Huawei offered to shift manufacturing to India to ally India's security fears.
Menon's visit may end the stalemate. On the trade front his talks with the Chinese officials was expected to include a review of China's initiatives to open its domestic markets for China to bridge to trade deficit, which touched $ 16 billion last year. With bilateral trade expected to touch a new high of $ 60 billion this year, India is keen to bridge trade deficit.
