India, China make nice

last updated 8 January 2015

Beijing

India and China signed a landmark declaration this week that settles some of the border issues that brought the two countries to war in 1962. India conceded that Tibet is Chinese territory—although Indian diplomats later clarified that the concession will not affect the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan government-in-exile, which is based in India. China annexed Tibet in 1951, but India has long refused to recognize Chinese sovereignty over the region. For its part, China agreed to consider the disputed Himalayan area of Sikkim as part of India. The two countries, which together account for one-third of the world’s population, also pledged closer cooperation on trade. A few border disputes remain, though. India still accuses China of occupying part of Kashmir; China still claims part of India’s Arunachal Pradesh province.