Chinese premier calls for more parliamentary, inter-party exchanges with India (2)

（Xinhua）  08:34, May 21, 2013  

When meeting with Gandhi, Li said China is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Congress party so as to inject new impetus into the development of the overall bilateral relationship.

Relations between the two nations are advancing on the fast track for comprehensive development, and their friendly cooperation has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples and bolstered regional and global peace and prosperity, Li noted.

He expressed the belief that the consensuses he reached with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the cooperation agreements the two sides signed will firm up the development of the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership and signal their solidarity and commitment to common development.

Li noted that when the Indian government established diplomatic relations with China in 1950s and opened a new chapter in bilateral ties, it was led by the Congress party.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, jointly advocated by the two countries, have become an important norm for conducting exchanges and cooperation among nations, he added.

China, Li said, appreciates the Congress party's consistent friendly stance toward China, and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the party.

Hailing the importance of Li's ongoing visit to the bilateral ties, Gandhi said she appreciates Li's choice of India as the first leg of his maiden foreign tour as Chinese premier.

The common development and prosperity of the two nations, both ancient civilizations, will help build a more balanced world, she added.

The Congress party, she said, is ready to continue its efforts for strengthening the friendship between the two nations, and earnestly hopes to deepen exchanges between the two peoples, especially the young generations, so as to continuously consolidate the social foundation of the bilateral amity.