NEW DELHI: India and China have begun the year on an unprecedented positive note with strong assertions of friendship in a year that will observe 50 years since the 1962 border conflict.As special representatives Shivshankar Menon and Dai Bingguo met for the 15th round of boundary talks, Dai stressed both nations "face a golden period to grow China-India relations . The world has enough space for China and India to achieve common development, as there are so many areas for us to work together." Dai echoed a statement by Menon last week, expressing similar sentiments.In an unusual move, China put out a statement by Dai, saying China has no intentions to "attack India" or "suppress India's development". "Our Indian friends may have confidence in China's tremendous sentiment of friendship towards India. While working hard to develop itself, China is fully committed to developing long-term friendship and cooperation with India. It is our genuine hope that India will enjoy prosperity and its people, happiness. There does not exist such a thing as China's attempt to "attack India" or "suppress India's development".Emerging from a year of strained ties, it is clear that both countries are stepping back and repairing the image of bilateral ties. There is a growing realization in India that the deterioration of India-China ties into an adversarial state would be counter-productive, particularly as New Delhi is looking for a peaceful periphery to provide a smoother road for itself. Between visa rows, oil exploration in South China Sea and the thorny issue of the Dalai Lama , India and China have frequently faced off each other in the past year. Chinese diplomacy too has been clumsy - with its ambassador to India letting off spleen against Indian journalists, and getting the wrong end of the stick from the Indian media.On the Chinese side, analysts say, there is even more reason to step back. With continuing economic troubles an uncertain and sometimes even hostile neighbourhood, China is unlikely to want to open up another front on the west with India. Secondly, China is in the midst of what appears to be a painful leadership transition. Its two main allies, North Korea and Pakistan , are deep in their own crises. China's neighbouring countries - from Japan to Australia, Vietnam etc - are all hedging against Beijing Most importantly, the US' "return to Asia" strategy has China at its core, and India as one of its crucial allies. In this situation, China, like India, would like the bilateral relationship to get on an even keel.
India and China. 

India and China planned to resolve boundary disputes peacefully and develop friendly relations with each other in the 15th round of boundary talks begun Monday. , , represented India while  represented China.

To control the Sino-Indian border effectively, Liu Zhenmin, China's Assistant Foreign Minister, and S. Jaishankar, India's ambassador to China, signed an agreement titled "Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs". The text of the agreement, as released by the , states, "The mechanism will undertake other tasks that are mutually agreed upon by the two sides but will not discuss resolution of the Boundary Question or affect the Special Representatives Mechanism."

The agreement allows live contact between the countries' foreign offices for problems along the Sino-Indian border, officially called the  (LOAC). Also, meetings are to be held in each of the two countries alternately, once or twice annually. The two sides see the agreement as an important step in gaining trust and strengthening each other.

 have not been good since the  of 1962. The relations lapsed in 2011 due to visa rows and exploration of oil in . Further, the Dalai Lama's refuge in India has caused friction with China. China also claims 90,000 square kilometers of land governed by India in the Tibetan region and India claims 38,000 square kilometers of Kashmir held by China.

Analysts say China is facing both economic problems, and difficulties with neighbouring countries. Its major allies North Korea and Pakistan have their own troubles. China maintains unfavorable relations with other neighbours like Vietnam, Australia, and Japan.

The 'return to Asia' strategy of the United States focuses on China, and India figures in it as an important ally.

Dai wrote in a newspaper column, "What we face is a golden period to grow China-India relations. The world has enough space for China and India to achieve common development, as there are so many areas for us to work together". He further added during the session, "While working hard to develop itself, China is fully committed to developing long-term friendship and cooperation with India."

Dai claimed trade between the two countries has increased by a factor of 20 in the last ten years. He summarized, "As neighbors and two big countries with a combined population of 2.5 billion, China and India can join hands, seize the historic opportunity, and work together to further advance our friendship and cooperation".

The boundary talks were to be held in November, but were postponed over Chinese disapproval of India allowing the Dalai Lama into a Buddhist meet in New Delhi.