India and China have settled long-time border disputes, and with freed up cross-border traffic look to creating what would be the largest trading bloc in the world, between the two most populous nations on the planet. During a recent visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to the Indian capital of Delhi , a border was finally agreed on paper. China would give up claims on 90,000 square kilometers to the North-East of India, formally recognising as parts of India, Sikkim — a Himalayan kingdom that merged with India in 1975 — and Tawang — an area in Arunachal Pradesh which China had repeatedly claimed. India would be formally recognising Tibet as a part of China, giving up Aksai Chin , uninhabited land on the Tibetan plateau that Beijing seized from the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir in 1962. India agreed also "not to allow Tibetans to engage in anti-China political activities on its soil", according to a report in The Economic Times of India. A new cross-border trade route would be allowed through Nathula , in Sikkim, and significant road work was to facilitate higher traffic, at least on the Chinese side. Eleven guiding principles and political parameters for resolving the disagreement, were put forth in the document, including a commitment to enhance bilateral trade from the present US$13.6 billion to US$30 billion by 2010 — trade which only a decade ago was worth just US 1 billion.
India and China have settled long-time border disputes, and with freed up cross-border traffic look to creating what would be the largest trading bloc in the world, between the two most populous nations on the planet. During a recent visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to the Indian capital of , a border was finally agreed on paper. China would give up claims on 90,000 square kilometers to the North-East of India, formally recognising as parts of India, — a kingdom that merged with India in 1975 — and — an area in which China had repeatedly claimed. India would be formally recognising Tibet as a part of China, giving up , uninhabited land on the plateau that seized from the Indian states of in 1962. India agreed also "not to allow Tibetans to engage in anti-China political activities on its soil", according to a report in The Economic Times of India. A new cross-border trade route would be allowed through , in Sikkim, and significant road work was to facilitate higher traffic, at least on the Chinese side. Eleven guiding principles and political parameters for resolving the disagreement, were put forth in the document, including a commitment to enhance bilateral trade from the present 13.6 billion to US$30 billion by 2010 — trade which only a decade ago was worth just US$ 1 billion.
D
Delhi
D
Sikkim
D
Himalayan
D
Tawang
D
Arunachal Pradesh
D
Aksai Chin
R
Tibetan plateau that Beijing
plateau that
D
Jammu and Kashmir
D
Nathula
R
US$13.6 billion to US$30 billion by 2010 — trade which only a decade ago was worth just US
13.6 billion to US$30 billion by 2010 — trade which only a decade ago was worth just US$