India-China strategic dialogue today

Ahead of the talks, a senior Chinese official said ‘‘the Chinese government firmly pursues the policy of developing long-term, stable, good-neighbourly and cooperative relations with India.’’

The second round of the India-China strategic dialogue is the first since New Delhi and Beijing agreed to upgrade their bilateral relations to strategic levels during Chinese premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to India in April last year.

Saran may brief Wu about the July 18 Indo-US nuclear deal. China is still opposed to recognising India as a nuclear power. Beijing is also of the view that the proposed Indo-US nuclear deal may undermine global nuclear disarmament moves.

Saran may also discuss UN reforms, including India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. China, which says it backs India’s aspiration to become a permanent member of the UNSC has, however, backed out citing New Delhi’s alliance with Japan.

Both sides are hopeful that a mutually-acceptable solution could be found through the special representatives to the vexed topic which has been nagging relations between the two nations for five decades. —PTI