India, China should reduce trust deficit: Dr Swamy

{image-indochina+flag_18012008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Kochi, Jan 18: Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Dr Subramanian Swamy today said India and China should work towards covering the 'trust deficit' between the two countries.

Speaking to newspersons on the forthcoming International Conference on Economic and Strategic Relations among India, China and the US here, Dr Swamy said, ''Eventhough the recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to China did not break any new grounds it was a welcome move.'' He said the leaders of both the countries should interact more frequently to know each other better and create a 'mutual trust'.

''Presently, the situtaion is such that the Indians do not trust the Chinese and vice-versa and this should be changed for healthier relations between the two countries,'' Dr Swamy noted.

He said the Janata Governments in late 70's and 80's were committed to improve the Indo-China relations and the first trade agreement was signed with China during the Janata Goverment's reign.

Dr Swamy said the relations between the 'eternal triangle'-India, China and the US- were very important and would determine the global economic order of the 21st century.

On the upcoming three-day international conference from January 21 here, Dr Swamy said more than 35 delegates would participate in the event and discuss the entire gamut of relations among India, China and the US.

''The US is already a pre-eminent economic and military super power and India and China were the emerging economies of the world,'' Dr Swamy said.

On the controversy over recommendations for the 'Bharat Ratna' award, Dr Swamy said ''as a Janata Party man, I will stand by the Moraji Desai Government's stand to abolish these kind of awards given to people who had contributed to public life.'' The conference was convened by Centre for National Renaissance, New Delhi, in association with the Fairbank Centre, Harvard University, and the Institiute for International Studies and Centre for China in the World Economy, Tsinghua University in China.

UNI