Parliamentary panel discusses ties with China, trade relationship, geostrategic concerns

New Delhi [India], December 17 : Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs discussed India's trade relationship with China, the border situation and geostrategic concerns, and had a 360-degree view of the relationship between the two countries.
The committee, which is holding deliberations on 'Understanding India-China Relations and the way forward' heard views of experts and non-official witnesses.
Tharoor, who is chairman of the committee, later said the meeting was excellent and there is no issue that is not of interest to the Committee.
"We discussed the border, we discussed trade relationship, we discussed geostrategic concerns, we discussed China's presence in neighbourhood. There is no issue that is not of interest to the Committee, it was a 360-degree view of the India-China relationship. Including the way forward, but I can't discuss that," Tharoor said.
"We were a bit unlucky in that the Lok Sabha debate on the SHANTI Bill and the Minister's reply clashed with the timing of our long-scheduled meeting... Many of the MPs had to come and go. Those who had a whip had to attend... I wanted to listen to the Minister's reply myself as a participant in the debate... I only regret that the full complement of MPs who are interested in China could not have been present. But of course, we will take into account the very high-quality evidence provided by the witnesses who are experts on China," he added.
Tharoor said the committee is trying to expand "understanding of all the issues in this relationship" before writing and presenting the report to Parliament.