PM Manmohan Singh may visit China this year

Hannover, Apr 23: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to visit China later this year if Chinese President Hu Jintao is unable to visit New Delhi for 'some reason', according to National security Adviser M K Narayanan.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress in Sino-Indian talks on the boundary dispute, Mr Narayanan said ''We are expecting a visit to India by the Chinese President this year because it is his turn.

If for some reason he is unable to come, the Prime Minister may visit China.'' Mr Narayanan is the Special Representative on the Indian side for the talks with China on the lingering border dispute. Chinese vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo is his counterpart.

The two Special Representatives have so far held seven rounds of talks, the last round taking place in Kerala in March.

Mr Narayanan said the talks were making progress. ''We are making progress...suddenly you will see a burst of progress in the process,'' he added.

He said the two countries had succesfully tackled the question of guiding principles for the resolution of the dispute. They were now dealing with the question of framework for the resolution of the dispute. The next step would be delineation of the boundary.

The NSA said the Chinese were showing a lot of flexibility in the talks. ''The Chinese realise that India is being wooed by a lot of countries across the globe. They don't want to be left behind...there is a greater degree of desire to move forward,'' he added.

UNI

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