Vice President Hamid Ansari visited China on June 26 on bilateral visit which coincided with the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel. The Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Seetharaman accompanied him during the five-day visit, which was in the pipeline for along.
 
On his way to Beijing, Vice President Ansari interacted with the media accompanying him.
 
EXCERPTS

Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari: This is a visit which has been in the pipeline for almost two years. The invitation from the then Vice-President of People’s Republic of China, now the President of China, came almost two years back, but then there were all kinds of scheduling problems on both sides.
 
As has been said, two things are happening together. We are having a bilateral visit and we are also attending the 60th anniversary of the Panchsheel. I hope all of you will enjoy the visit, see something of China. I for one have never been to China, so I am also avidly like a tourist.
 
China is a very important country. It is our most important neighbour. It is a country with which our bilateral trade is almost at the top. There are only one or two countries with which we have trade levels that we have with China.
 
Both governments are committed to furthering the relations. The best evidence of that was the congratulatory telephone call that the Prime Minister received shortly after his swearing in, and then the visit of the Special Chinese Envoy to Delhi to congratulate the Prime Minister and also to call on the leadership.
 
All in all I think we are looking forward to a substantive visit during our stay in Beijing apart from the Panchsheel part of it. I would be having discussions with my counterpart the Vice-President of China. There would be a meeting with the Prime Minister of China. And the last but the most important item in the programme would be the call on His Excellency the President of China.
 
There would be a lecture that we are invited to give in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. 
 
Question: Sir, so many times we have seen Chinese aggression on our borders. Will you take up this issue during the bilateral talks?
 
Vice-President: All matters on bilateral agenda will be taken up in the talks.
 
Question: Is this included in the agenda for bilateral talks?

Vice-President: Bilateral agenda means bilateral agenda, the totality of subjects which the two countries discuss from time to time.
 
Question: Can we expect ki aap border issues par discuss karenge bilateral talks mein?
 
Vice-President: Iske aage kehne ki zarurat nahin hai. We will discuss, I cannot anticipate the talks.
 
Question (in Hindi) : Sir, Panchsheel ke 60 saal ho gaye, hum log jaante hain aur isko bhi celebrate karne vahan jaa rahen hain. Kya aap ko lagta hai ki aaj ki sthiti mein Panchsheel ka joh idea tha use kuchh naye model mein present karne ki zarurat hai, ya usko aur expand karne ki zarurat hai?
 
Vice-President (in Hindi & English) :Dekhiye, Panchsheel ke joh paanch principles hain,they are of universal value, so much so that not only China, India, Myanmar but the entire Non-Aligned Movement and the bulk of the members of the United Nations subscribe to it because they are impeccable principles. Is mein jhagda karne ko toh koi cheez hai hi nahin. Inter-state relations aaj ki duniya mein inhi principles par ho sakte hain agar unko normal hona hai, agar unko peaceful hona hai. So, the principles are impeccable, there is no dispute about it.
 
Question: Sir, the India-China trade deficit is ballooning and the trade gap is a whopping 30 billion dollars. What would be a panacea to get into more sustainable levels of trade between India and China?
 
Vice-President: I think the two governments are working on this, and the presence of Minister of Commerce and her separate meetings with her counterpart will allow these subjects to be discussed. It is a matter of concern to us that while trade is increasing the imbalance in trade is not coming down. The two governments are seized of the matter. They will address them as time passes.
 
– POREG DESK