Tremendous scope for strengthening ties with China: Shashi Tharoor

Seeking to downplay the dispute with China on Arunachal Pradesh, minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor today said both the countries are developing economies and stand a lot to benefit from mutual cooperation.

"It is high time we should look beyond geographical barriers and build up a good relation with China in the 21st century," Tharoor told reporters on the sidelines of a book release function in Guwahati.

"There remains tremendous scope for building relationships with China in which both the developing countries could benefit," he said.

"Both China and India are developing economies and we stand a lot to benefit from mutual cooperation."

Earlier speaking at the release function of Ranjit Barthakur's environment-related book Naturenomics, Tharoor said though being a developing economy India's carbon emission was one of the lowest in the world.

"In fact other countries should take a lesson from us that despite being a developing economy, pollution to the economy from our country's side is one of the lowest."

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were present at the occasion.