The rise of the Sino-Indian relationship was essentially a political phenomenon. Its fall came when the political climate soured. Its revival, if it is to occur, will have to recover that lost political ground. Precisely for that reason, Li Peng's visit last year and Zhu Rongji's recent visit have yielded very little. It would appear that the Chinese, very much like the Americans, are at a loss when it comes to understanding south Asia. They seem to be, like the Americans, far more comfortable dealing with Pacific Asia.
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