India, China ties poised for positive momentum: Krishna

Beijing: India and China have set a target of scaling up their bilateral trade to USD 100 billion in next three years, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said on Wednesday.

India will continue to carry forward the positive momentum of bilateral cooperation and exchanges with China, he said. The economic and trade cooperation between India and China has witnessed a robust growth rate, Krishna who is on a visit here to inaugurate the new Indian Embassy here said in an interview to state-run Xinhua news agency.

"We have set a target of USD 100 billion for the year 2015," he said, "and I'm confident we will achieve this target."

In order to further enhance economic consultation and cooperation, last year the two sides have launched the Strategic Economic Dialogue mechanism, Krishna said.

"We will continue to work hard to maintain the positive momentum of bilateral trade with China," he said.

When asked about the border issue between the two countries, Krishna said it remains under discussion.

"There is no denying the fact that it is a difficult issue," he said, "however, a number of mechanisms, including the recently signed agreement on establishing a working mechanism for consultation and coordination over border issues have been put in place to ensure that the border stays peaceful while we seek a settlement of the boundary question."

The working mechanism will address issues and situations that may arise in the border areas that affect the maintenance of peace and tranquility, he said.

And it will work actively toward maintaining the friendly atmosphere between the two countries.

"This mechanism is a significant step forward in the direction of maintenance of peace and tranquility along India-China border," Krishna said.