An anonymous senior Indian official was quoted in the
Hindu newspaper Saturday as saying that future military exchanges and a joint
exercise between Indian and Chinese defense forces would remain suspended until
China resolves the issue.
"China did not suspend military exchanges with
India, nor did it receive any communication from India about a suspension of
exchanges between the two militaries," China's Ministry of National
Defense said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press in response to
questions.
The Indian army spokesman Virendra Singh declined to
comment. Indian officials routinely refuse to speak on the record to the media
on what the government defines as sensitive matters, including relations with
China.
But China's Defense Ministry hinted at possible friction
between the sides, saying both have been working on implementing this year's
planned military exchanges, but that it was "very normal to have different
points of view" during specific consultations. It did not elaborate.
"We believe both sides can focus on the overall
situation of bilateral relations, based on the principle of consultation and
consensus, to promote the healthy and stable development of the two militaries'
relations," it said.
Indian media reports said the suspension was New Delhi's
response to Beijing denying a visa for Indian army Lt. Gen.
B.S. Jaswal, who was scheduled to join a military
delegation to China.
Jaswal was denied a visa because he is responsible for
army operations in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, a disputed
territory, reports said. The Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by India
and Pakistan, an ally of China. China also claims part of northeastern Kashmir
that it says is part of Tibet.
New Delhi also refused to allow two Chinese army officers
to attend a defense course in India and denied permission to a senior Chinese
army colonel to visit India's National Defense College, the reports said.
Ties between India and China have improved vastly since a
brief border war in 1962, but the two sides remain divided over the territorial
claims dating back to the conflict.
In recent years, India and China have held more than a
dozen rounds of talks on settling the border dispute but have made little
progress.
Beijing is also highly critical of India's support for
the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 and set up
a government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala.
