Islamabad: China has indicated that it is willing to take discussions on its border dispute with India forward and hopes that existing differences between the two sides will be resolved through dialogue soon.

In a report, the Lahore-based 'Daily Times' quoted Chinese Foreign Office spokesman Kong Quan as saying that Beijing has invited a team of Indian diplomats and military experts to come over to discuss the vexed border issue, including claims on areas covered by the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

This will be the 14th meeting between the two sides.

"Not long ago, Indian military personnel crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to the Chinese side," Quan said, adding that the Indians were promptly asked to return to their side of border to ensure peace in the area.

"It is hoped the Indian side will strictly abide by the agreement signed between the two countries, respect the Line of Actual Control, and avoid such incidents from happening again," the paper quoted Quan as saying.

Indian media reports, however, believe that relations between the two countries are not as normal as is being made out to be.

According to 'The Hindustan Times', New Delhi dispatched a "strong demarche" to Beijing last week on what it alleged was Chinese infiltration into Arunachal Pradesh. Quoting highly placed sources, the paper further said that India may not rush into border negotiations, and would assess the situation before National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra met Chinese Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Dai Bingguo to discuss the issue.

The 'Times of India' reported that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to China stood diminished in the eyes of the Indian public because of the confrontation between the Chinese and Indian border personnel in the Asaphi La Sector of the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Chinese, it claimed, were aggressive, and detained, disarmed and interrogated Indian personnel before sending them back to the Indian side of the LAC. Their arms were only returned after this objective was achieved.

These papers say that New Delhi continues to be exacerbated by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman's assertion that Beijing does not recognise Arunachal Pradesh as being a part of India.

'The Hindu', on the other hand, says that given the current stalemate over the exchange of maps of the Western sector of the LAC, the appointment of special representatives is being seen as an "over- arching" track to deal with the contentious boundary issue.

ANI