Chronicle of Sino-Indian relations

I. The honeymoon phase

China and India enjoyed close ties during early and middle 1950s. India was the first non-socialist country to establish diplomatic relations with China. The two sides shared a wide ranging consensus on many issues and cooperated in advocating world peace. The top-level leaders of the two countries were in close contact and bilateral ties developed well.

On April 1, 1950, China established diplomatic relations with India. Yuan Zhongxian was appointed China's first ambassador to India. His counterpart in China was Kavalam Madhava Panikkar.

In May 1952, the China-India Friendship Association was founded in Beijing with Ding Xilin as president.

In June 1954, Premier Zhou Enlai visited India. It was the first visit by a Chinese leader to a non-socialist country. During the visit, the two sides signed the Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet Region of China and India. China also introduced the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence for the first time.

In October 1954, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited China. He was the first foreign leader to visit China after 1949. The two visits promoted the development of bilateral ties.

In April 1955, the first Asian-African Conference was held in Bandung, Indonesia. Zhou and Nehru cooperated closely at the meeting and upheld the unity among Asian and African countries, which ensured the success of the meeting.

In November 1956, Zhou paid a second visit to India. He exchanged the ideas on Tibet with Nehru, further clarifying China's stance and policies concerning the Tibet issue. Nehru said the Indian government respected China's sovereignty over Tibet.

In January 1957, Zhou visited India once again to receive an honorary doctorate conferred by India International University.

II. The phase of deterioration

In the late 1950s, border disputes and the Tibet issue resulted in a war between the two countries and bilateral ties entered an "ice age."

On October 18, 1958, Indian government put forward an official claim to the Aksai Chin region, claiming it was "part of Ladakh District." In November, China replied in a note refuting India's claim.

In March 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India in the wake of the failed rebellion in Tibet. In August, the first military conflict between China and India, the Langjiu Incident took place.

In June 1962, the Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India on Trade and Intercourse between Tibet Region of China and India expired. Diplomatic relations were lowered to the level of Charge d'affaires. In October, the Sino-Indian Border Conflict broke out.

III. The phase of rehabilitation

After a long period of confrontation, the two sides both realized the importance of bilateral ties. In the middle and late 1970s, leaders on both sides made great efforts to normalize diplomatic relations.

1. The normalization of Sino-Indian diplomatic relations

In July 1976, China and India restored ambassadorial relations after negotiations between the two governments. Kocheril Raman Narayanan and Chen Zhaoyuan were appointed ambassadors.

In February 1979, Indian External Affairs Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, visited China. China put forward a package of proposals on mutual understanding and concessions on border issues, displaying China's active willingness to solve the issues.

In June 1981, Huang Hua, vice premier and foreign minister, paid a visit to India. It was the first visit to India by a Chinese leader since 1960. During the visit, the two governments agreed to continue negotiations on boundary and other issues.

In December 1981, the two countries held the first boundary negotiations in Beijing.

In December 1986, India upgraded Arunachal to Arunachal Pradesh, drawing a strong protest from China. China refused to acknowledge the existence of so-called Arunachal Pradesh.

In November 1987, at the eighth boundary negotiation India moderated its hard-nosed stance on border issues.

In December 1988, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Peng. The resumption of dialogue between the leaders of the two countries after being suspended for 28 years marked the normalization of bilateral ties.

2. Further development of Sino-India ties

In December 1991, Premier Li Peng visited India. The two countries signed five agreements and memoranda concerning diplomacy, border trade and cooperation on space technology. Bilateral ties took a major step forward.

In September 1993, Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao visited China. The two sides signed a series of documents in Beijing, including the Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the China-India Border Area, the biggest breakthrough since boundary negotiations started in 1981. They also signed agreements on environmental and broadcasting cooperation.

In November 1996, President Jiang Zemin visited India. It was the first time a Chinese head of state had visited India.

3. A setback to bilateral ties

In May 1998, India conducted nuclear tests citing the "China threat" as an excuse. Once again bilateral ties were undermined.

In January 1999, President Kocheril Raman Narayanan repudiated the "China threat" theory at the second dialogue between Chinese and Indian scholars. In June, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh visited China. Bilateral ties improved.

In February 2000, the two countries reached an agreement in Beijing on China's joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In May 2000, President K. R. Narayanan visited China and met with President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji. The two sides exchanged ideas on bilateral ties and international and regional issues, enhancing mutual understanding and promoting bilateral cooperation.

In January 2001, Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), visited India. The two sides exchanged ideas on promoting Sino-Indian cooperation and reached consensus on many issues. The visit was dubbed a journey of understanding, friendship and cooperation, and helped mend Sino-Indian relations.

IV. The new phase

In the 21st century, the two countries have attached great importance to promoting a strategic and cooperative partnership, and building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.

In January 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji visited India and signed documents of cooperation on space technology, water conservancy, personnel exchange, science and technology, and botanical quarantine.

In June 2003, Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee visited China. During his visit the Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation was signed. The declaration provided a framework accepted by both sides and was considered a programmatic document for developing "a long-term constructively cooperative partnership."

June 28, 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged message of congratulations with their counterparts respectively.

In April 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao visited India. During the visit, the two sides issued a joint statement establishing a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity. The agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles signed during the visit was the first political guideline for boundary negotiations. The two sides also signed a 5-year plan for comprehensive business cooperation.

In November 2006, President Hu Jintao visited India and attended the celebrations to launch the "Year of China-India Friendship." During the visit, the two sides issued a Joint Declaration containing a ten-pronged strategy to intensify cooperation in all areas and give greater meaning to the China-India Strategic and Cooperative Partnership.

In December 2007, China and India conducted their first ever joint anti-terror military drill – "Hand in Hand 2007" in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

In January 2008, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh visited China. A joint document entitled "A Shared Vision for the 21st Century of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India" was issued during his visit, outlining common positions on international and bilateral issues. The two sides also signed ten documents concerning cooperation in traditional medicine, botanical quarantine, geological surveying, and land and resources.

In December 2008, the second Sino-Indian joint anti-terror military drill named "Hand in Hand 2008" was held in Belgaum, India. The training promoted mutual trust and understanding, strengthened communications on anti-terrorism, and pushed forward the relationship between the two armies.

Led by Admiral Sureesh Mehta, chief of Indian Naval Staff, Indian missile destroyers INS Mumbai and INS Ranveer arrived in Qingdao, April 19, 2009, to attend an international fleet review on April 23 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy.

In the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December 2009, China and India both laid stress on the reinforcement of communication and cooperation, working together to make contributions to meeting the climate challenge and defending the interests of developing countries.