Indian PM to visit China

Source: Xinhua | 01-04-2008 08:05

BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay an official visit to China from Jan. 13 to 15, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu announced here Thursday.

Singh's upcoming China tour is at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Jiang told a regular press conference.

Jiang Yu said China warmly welcomes and attaches great importance to the Indian prime minister's upcoming visit and hopes this visit will enhance the friendship between the two peoples, expand bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and promote the long-term, healthy and stable advancement of China-India strategic and cooperative partnership.

Jiang noted that the China-India relations currently see sound momentum of development. Last year, the two countries jointly held the China-India Tourism Year, conducted frequent high-level exchanges, and enhanced bilateral cooperation in various fields. The two sides also carried out sound bilateral coordination in dealing with international affairs, Jiang said.

The bilateral trade from January to November 2007 topped 34.2 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 54 percent, Jiang added.

Noting that China and India, as the world's two largest developing countries, are faced with common mission for development and both committed to promoting world and regional peace and stability, Jiang said. China is willing to make joint efforts with India to push the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership to a new stage.

On the border issue, Jiang said the Chinese and Indian special representatives conducted three meetings in 2007 and had helpful discussions, adding that China hopes to make further efforts together with India to strive for a mutually acceptable, fair and reasonable solution as soon as possible.

Editor:Zhang Ning