then India and China can be Great Friends and Allies, then combined we can beat the shiit out of the world without any problem.
China and India will be both Super Nations after 2050, there will be no match against us.
Hope we can forget the past and look forward.
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Sino-Indian rapprochement
by our Asia editor Ellen van Dalen,
After decades of distrust and animosity, the leaders of the world's two most populous countries are seeking to improve relations at a meeting in Beijing. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Chinese hosts hope to use the occasion to make progress on such thorny issues as territorial borders, India's nuclear aspirations and Tibet.
Relations between China and India have been fraught with tension for more than 40 years. No blood has been shed after the 1962 border war between the two neighbours, but the scars won't heal, not even after several rounds of diplomatic negotiations. The last time an Indian Prime Minister went to Beijing was back in 1993.
Bones of contention
The main contentious issues are China's territorial claims over Tibet and Beijing's close links with India's arch-rival Pakistan, explains Ajai Sahni of the Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management, an independent think-tank focusing on regional conflicts in Asia.
"The fact that India gave sanctuary to the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, didn't go down well with China and has remained a major irritant ever since. On the whole, the relationship was defined by China's complete and unconditional support for Pakistan. Beijing was therefore seen as hostile to India throughout. That single issue did not allow the space for improving relations."
New era of harmony
Now, a window of opportunity seems to have opened, and the two sides have issued a statement confirming to the world that they are serious about creating a new forward-looking relationship. Mr Sahni says the decisive factor were the terrorist attacks on the United States in September, 2001.
"Primarily, the radical transformation has taken place in the post 9-11 phase. Mostly the reasons are located in the changing international scenario, and in the last two years particularly. The entire architecture of diplomacy and of international relationships in Asia in particular is being transformed."
Strategic headache
Pakistan is a case in point, says Mr Sahni. Initially, the country's president, General Musharraf, was treated as an international pariah. But in the wake of September 11, he became respected ally of the United States, which needed him in the fight against terror in Afghanistan. The new-found friendship between Mr Musharraf and Washington made China reconsider its unconditional backing for Pakistan.
Beijing's worries only increased after the United States strengthened its ties with India. The Chinese government doesn't want the United States to gain too much strategic influence in the region, explains Shi Sunhai from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
"China doesn't want India to be used by the US. However, I don't expect this to happen, because India has always pursued a very independent foreign policy."
Piecemeal approach
The border disputes are still very sensitive. For this reason, the Beijing meeting has initially focused on less controversial issues such as boosting economic collaboration and strengthening scientific and cultural ties. The key issues are left until a later stage. But the whole setting is certainly a lot friendlier.
