'Stapled visa issue', still in for in-depth discussions

New Delhi, Dec 16 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here today that the visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said that officials of India and China should have 'in-depth' discussions to resolve the differences on stapled visas issued to Indian citizens from Jammu and Kashmir.

"The ball is in their court. There is no doubt about that," she stressed.

The joint statement that was issued later did not refer to stapled visas.

The Joint statement also did not refer to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks or India's demand for expediting punishment to those responsible for the attacks.

Expressing satisfaction over the growing quantum of bilateral trade and investment ties, India and China on Thursday agreed to further broad base and balance trade and economic cooperation, and identify new opportunities to realize the vast potential for future growth.

Towards this objective, both sides agreed to establish a Strategic Economic Dialogue to enhance macro-economic policy coordination, to promote exchanges and interactions and join hands to address issues and challenges appearing in the economic development and enhance economic cooperation.

They also agreed to set a new bilateral trade target of 100 billion dollars by 2015.

The two sides agreed to take measures to promote greater Indian exports to China with a view to reduce India's trade deficit.

This includes support for Indian participation in China's national and regional trade fairs, advancing of trade facilitation, enhancing exchange and cooperation of pharmaceutical supervision, stronger relationships between Chinese enterprises and Indian IT industry and speedier completion of phyto-sanitary negotiations on agro products.

They also agreed to expand cooperation in infrastructure, environmental protection, information technology, tele-communications, investment and finance on a priority basis to draw on each other's strengths and pursue mutual benefit and win-win results.

India welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest and participate in India's infrastructure development such as in roads, railways and in the manufacturing sector.

The two sides agreed to encourage greater mutual investment and project contracting cooperation between businesses of the two countries, appropriately handle economic and trade frictions and differences and jointly oppose protectionism in all forms.

They constituted an India-China CEO's Forum to deliberate on business issues and make recommendations on expansion of trade and investment cooperation.

India and China also agreed to grant permission to the banks of the other country to open branches and representative offices. Modalities will be worked out by the concerned authorities. (ANI)