Tuesday, September 6 2005 14:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Two days after the verbal exchange involving Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and a Chinese envoy over 1962 Sino-India war, Beijing's Ambassador Sun Yuxi today (Sept 6, 2005) said the two countries were 'now partners' and 'not enemies' and it was 'out of fashion' to talk too much about the past.

"We are now partners, not rivals. We are friends, not enemies, if you talk too much of the past, it is out of fashion," Sun said at a press conference held to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

He was asked about the Defence Minister's references to Chinese 'invasion' of Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 and border dispute with China, which had triggered a sharp reaction from Chinese Consul General Song De Heng at a seminar in Mumbai on Sunday.

Objecting to Mukherjee calling China an 'invader' in Arunachal Pradesh, Song had said the situation, circumstances and position was such that his country could not be called so. Emphasising that the two countries were trying their best to develop a forward-looking relationship, the Chinese Ambassador said, "we will make sure that what happened in history will never happen again".

Sun said 'misunderstandings' should not be allowed to crop up 'between friends'.