Doklam is a thing of past: China official

Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey | TNN |  Oct 29, 2017, Kolkata: Doklam is a thing of the past and as the next few weeks unfold, India can expect positive news from Beijing in bilateral co-operation following President Xi Jinping's re-election as general secretary of the Communist Party of China's central committee for five years.These assurances came on Saturday from Ma Zhanwu, China's consul general in Kolkata, at the first media briefing in any Indian city about the election in China.

Asked if China was augmenting its army presence again at Doklam, Ma said the thrust of the new era under Xi was peace and co-operation, not friction. "We have put Doklam behind us," he stressed. Ma said Xi had promised balanced growth with an eye on never-before modernization but had also stressed that China would never try to expand its borders and instead do everything to propel peace and cross-border harmony.

"India and China have a centuries-old shared history and hence India will feature big in the new policies that will be declared soon," Ma added. Ma said eastern India — especially Bengal — was set to gain in a big way in the new era. Highlighting India's strength in services and IT, he indicated that new channels would soon open between the two countries.

Bengal can expect a lot of exchanges in agro products, food processing, fertilizers and education, Ma said.

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