Krishna raises issue of Indian traders in Shanghai with China

New Delhi, Apr 13 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna has raised the issue of the Indian traders in Shanghai with China and suggested that the matter be brought to a speedy and satisfactory resolution.

Krishna met his Chinese counterpart Yang Jeichi on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India, Russia and China in Moscow today.

"The External Affairs Minister raised the case of the Indian traders in Shanghai, who are involved in a commercial dispute in Yiwu and suggested that it is ensured that the matter be brought to a speedy and satisfactory resolution," according to official sources.

"The Chinese Foreign Minister responded that he takes seriously the concern raised by the External Affairs Minister and recalled that the matter had been raised with him earlier too," the official sources add.

It may be recalled here that the Chinese officials in the southern trading hub of Yiwu had earlier this year come down hard on foreigners involved in recent payment disputes.

Two Indian traders, Deepak Raheja and Shyamsunder Agarwal, were abducted and tortured after their trading firm's owner fled without paying his dues to businessmen in south China's Yiwu city last year. The two were later asked to pay $1.58 million to Chinese traders after the Yemeni owner of their firm fled.

The meeting, which was the third meeting of Foreign Ministers of India and China in 2012, signifies the intensive high-level interaction that characterizes the relations between New Delhi and Beijing and the importance that both sides place on the relationship.

Various issues of bilateral, regional and multilateral importance were discussed in the meeting of the two leaders, which lasted for an hour.

According to official sources, on bilateral issues, the two Ministers reviewed the activities chalked out for the Year of India-China Friendship and Cooperation.

"In this context, they stressed the need for an early meeting on the maritime dialogue. They also felt that the contours of the dialogues on Central Asia, West Asia and Africa should be finalized soon. They also agreed to resume the India-China dialogue on Disarmament and Non Proliferation," the sources add.

Official sources said the Chinese Foreign Minister thanked his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna for the arrangements made during the BRICS Summit, and appreciated the smooth conduct of the event and the substantive outcome.

"The Chinese Foreign Minister also assured the External Affairs Minister that China will encourage their companies to invest infrastructure projects in India," the sources add.

Official sources further said that there was a wide-ranging discussion on various issues, which are on the agenda of the Security Council, including on Syria and DPRK.

"They agreed that it was important for the Permanent Missions in New York to work together on these issues in the next few days," the sources add.

Official sources further said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi invited Krishna to visit Beijing.

"Both the Foreign Ministers agreed that India-China cooperation in the year of India-China Friendship and Cooperation was growing and it was important to maintain this momentum. In this context, the Chinese Foreign Minister invited External Affairs Minister to visit China," the sources add. (ANI)