BEIJING, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- After 44 years of distrust and distant coldness China and India are embarking on a rocky road to neighborly relations they hope will be mutually beneficial.
The two nations, who fought a border war in 1962, apparently have come to realize their hopes of becoming world economic and political powers demands cooperation and stability among neighbors, reports The Los Angeles Times.
Experts predict the two Asian giants, which together account for one-third of the world's population, will, along with the United States, have the world's largest economies by 2050.
The latest breakthrough in Sino-Indian relations was the recent decision to reopen the strategic Nathula pass, the Silk Road trade route high in the Himalayas, closed since the war.
The two also are trying to reduce military tension. They have designated 2006 as their "year of friendship" culminating in a summit of Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Major hurdles remain, as well as suspicions on both sides and India's distrust of China's relations with Pakistan.
But experts on both sides feel economic realities, such as growing bilateral trade that is expected to reach $20 billion this year, will help overcome these obstacles.
