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In what could be the most important political development in the post-Cold War period, China has shed its initial inhibitions to form a strategic triangle along with India and Russia.
"On many international issues, China, Russia and India have near identical stands and concerns," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.
"We hope to further strengthen our cooperation with Russia and India," she replied when asked whether Chinese President Jiang Zemin, who left for Moscow Sunday, would discuss the issue of trilateral cooperation between India, China and Russia during the summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
The re-think by Beijing is attributed to the failure of United States to respond favourably to the communist state's security concerns.
In the past, Beijing had distanced itself from the idea of trilateral cooperation between China, India and Russia.
However, many Chinese are opposed to the US hegemony and stress the need for enhanced cooperation between China, Russia and India to ensure a multi-polar world and a new international political and economic order.
Preparing ground for a tie-up that has potential for far-reaching global ramifications, scholars from the three nations are scheduled to meet in Moscow in September to find ways and means to cooperate and explore a common approach.
The idea of a strategic triangle was originally conceived by former Russian premier Yevgeny Primakov.
PTI
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