Page 354 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

in August 1995, on additional troop withdrawals from the border made
further progress in reducing tensions.

Possibly indicative of the further relaxation of India-China relations, at least

there was little notice taken in Beijing, was the April 1995 announcement,
after a year of consultation, of the opening of the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Centre in New Delhi. It serves as the representative office of the
Republic of China (Taiwan) and is the counterpart of the India-Taipei

Association in Taiwan; both institutions have the goal of improving relations
between the two sides, which have been strained since New Delhi’s

recognition of Beijing in 1950.

Sino-Indian relations hit a low point in 1998 following India’s nuclear tests
in May. Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes declared that “China is

India’s number one threat”, hinting that India developed nuclear weapons in
defence against China’s nuclear arsenal. In 1998, China was one of the
strongest international critics of India’s nuclear tests and entry into the
nuclear club. During the 1999 Kargil War, China voiced support for Pakistan,

but also counselled Pakistan to withdraw its forces.

2000s

With Indian President KR Narayanan’s visit to China, 2000 marked a gradual
re-engagement of Indian and Chinese diplomacy. In a major embarrassment

th
for China, the 17 Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorje, who was proclaimed by
China, made a dramatic escape from Tibet to the Rumtek Monastery in
Sikkim. Chinese officials were in a quandary on this issue as any protest to

India on the issue would mean an explicit endorsement of India’s governance
of Sikkim, which the Chinese still hadn’t recognised. In 2002, Chinese
Premier Zhu Rongji reciprocated by visiting India, with a focus on economic

issues. 2003 ushered in a marked improvement in Sino-Indian relations
following Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s landmark June 2003
visit to China. China officially recognised Indian sovereignty over Sikkim as

the two nations moved toward resolving their border disputes.

2004 also witnessed a gradual improvement in the international area when