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China, India Conduct Joint Naval Exercise
EFL SHANGHAI, China (AP) - In a striking scene of cooperation, China and India united Friday for joint naval exercises off Shanghaiâs coast - the latest sign that the one-time enemies are abandoning decades of tense relations. Even as the maneuvers unfolded, China reassured longtime ally Pakistan, Indiaâs nuclear rival, that nothing had changed. "Of course I still love you!" The exercises involved two Indian vessels, the guided-missile destroyer INS Ranjit and the guided-missile corvette INS Kulish. The vessels sailed into the East China Sea to rendezvous with the Chinese frigate Jiaxing and tanker Feng Chang. Drills included a simulated fire aboard the Chinese tanker that was fought by the Chinese frigate and Indian ships, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Beijing. A Ranjit-based helicopter also practiced evacuating wounded. ``The joint exercises were conducted successfully,ââ the embassy said. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Defense Minister George Fernandes - a frequent critic of China - made successful trips to China this year. The countries also recently pledged to open a highway to facilitate trade across the border in northeastern Indiaâs Sikkim region. Vajpayeeâs trip produced a statement in which the sides issued a joint statement saying they would no longer view each other as Chinaâs government did not immediately comment on the exercises. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters Thursday that China believed such cooperation would Wonder if Liu wants to rename the big body of water t the south the "Chinese Ocean"? The day of drills followed similar exercises off Shanghai last month involving the Chinese navy and warships from Pakistan, Indiaâs nuclear neighbor and primary antagonist. Those exercises marked the first-ever joint naval exercises between Chinese ships and the navy of another nation since the founding of the communist Peopleâs Republic of China in 1949. Nicely playing both ends of the field. The drills, nearly identical in content to the China-India exercises, may have been aimed at reassuring Pakistan that improvements in Beijingâs ties with India wonât undermine long-standing close relations with Islamabad. "But you CANâT consort with those Indian dogs!" "Why the hell not?" "Because theyâre infidels!" "According to your book, weâre infidels as well." "Well yeah, but thatâs different!" Posted by: Steve White 2003-11-15 |
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