Bali (Indonesia):
The issue of sovereignty over the South China Sea should be resolved under international law, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao today.
Dr Singh, who brought up the issue during a 55-minute meeting on the sidelines of the Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Bali, said India's decision to explore for oil in the South China Sea was "purely commercial".
China has been angered by a recent pact between India and Vietnam on oil exploration. Several south-east Asian nations including Vietnam are in a dispute with China over who has rights in these waters.
But India is stressing on the freedom of navigation and right to passage in these waters.
The talks, however, saw both sides reiterate their commitment to working with greater cooperation.
India and China must work "hand-in-hand to ensure that the 21st century belongs to Asia," the Chinese Premier told Dr Singh.
"We are neighbours and also large growing economies of Asia. We should cooperate bilaterally and globally," Dr Singh told Wen, seeking to bridge the differences that have strained relations between the two countries in recent weeks. Dr Singh said India was committed to developing the best of relations with China.
The two are meeting on the sidelines of the Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bali.
Dr Singh and his Chinese counterpart agreed on the need for working together as there was "enough space" and areas of cooperation.
To press this point, Singh noted that whenever India and China had worked together on climate change, it has had a "positive impact" on the global stage.
Visualising "cooperative partnership" with China, Singh reminded Wen that he had said that "there is enough space in the world for both India and China to grow."
The meeting comes weeks after a war of words over the exploitation of resources in the South China Sea.
Apart from several South East Asian nations, India too has been at the receiving end of Chinese anger over an oil exploration pact recently signed with Vietnam in these disputed waters. Increasing Chinese troop presence on the border may also came up, though Indian officials played down any major concerns.
Earlier this week, an official Chinese daily said India's move to increase troops would create tension. Government sources also say they are very close to an agreement with China on a mechanism "to ensure peace and tranquility".