The message was conveyed to top Chinese leaders during meetings by members of a visiting CPM delegation now in Beijing. In response, the Chinese leaders appeared keen that relations between the two countries be elevated from one of “strategic cooperation” to “strategic partnership” in which Hu Jintao’s visit would serve as a landmark, moving forward from the gains made during the 2005 visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

The five-member CPM delegation — it is led by politburo member Sitaram Yechury and includes Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar — which is there for party-to-party meetings separately met Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhao Xing and Luo Gan, a member of the powerful Standing Committee.

In talking about “elevating” relations with India, Chinese leaders were reflecting the same optimism as the Indian government. That was also a message that the Left leaders were carrying from New Delhi following meetings with former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and others in the Indian establishment. In another area, the Chinese leaders appeared in sync with the way India visualizes expanding relations between the two countries —- by strengthening their roles in the India-China-Russia trilateral forum as well as in BRICS+G (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa and Germany). The assertion from the visiting CPM delegation that India would not be a part of any US gameplan against China was made against the backdrop of Chinese concerns about New Delhi’s strategic partnership with the US reflected in the Indo-US nuclear deal and the Indian stand on Iran’s nuclear programme.

While the Chinese leaders did not broach specific contentious issues, like visa rules that hampered Chinese businessmen engaged in Indian projects, there were concerns about discrimination against Chinese firms that had kept them out of key Indian projects —- like the Vizhinjam deep sea port in Kerala —- on grounds of security. They, however, stressed that economic cooperation was important between the two countries and this was symbolized in a tenfold growth in trade in the past decade. The Indians, meanwhile, are expecting greater Chinese interest in the culture scene, with support for Buddhist monasteries a possibility.