India, China keen to improve ties on wildlife conservation

Though the visa denial row may have strained defence ties between India and China the two countries are hoping to increase cooperation in both wildlife conservation and global financial issue. Two delegations from New Delhi are in Beijing for the purpose.

A delegation from the ministry of environment and forests, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the National Tiger Conservation Authority arrived in Beijing on Monday to begin a five-day visit aimed at curbing illegal trade in tigers and other endangered big cats. Poaching in Indian forests is rampant largely due to the huge demand for tiger parts in traditional Chinese medicine.

The fourth India-China financial dialogue will be held in Beijing tomorrow ending a three-year hiatus, and the two countries are expected to discuss how best to coordinate their positions on the reforms of international financial institutions.

The dialogue, Indian officials said, would highlight the growing breadth of bilateral relationship even as tensions between the two countries have been increasing after China refused a visa to the Indian army's northern command chief, Lt Gen B S Jaswal. According to officials from the defence ministries ofr the two countries, military exchanges would go ahead, even in the face of specific disagreements as would other areas of disagreement.

In the first round of talks to begin next week on wildlife conservation and management, India is expected to urge China to continue its ban on any internal trade in tiger parts. It was reported that Beijing was considering lifting the ban under pressure from 'tiger farm' owners.

According to wild life experts, China now has less than 20 tigers left in the wild but around 5,000 on the farms that cater to tourists and are looking to cater to the demand for tiger parts as well.

The week will also see the fourth round of the bilateral financial dialogue get under way in Beijing, with finance secretary Ashok Chawla, along with officials from the Reserve Bank of India, meeting China's vice finance minister Zhu Guangyao. The dialogue was set up following premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India in 2005 with the last round held in December 2007.

Officials said, dialogue would offer both sides an important opportunity to exchange notes on the global financial situation, as well as their roles and objectives in reforming the international financial architecture.