From rxpgnews.com
India, China adopt 10-pronged strategy, to double trade
By Indo Asian News Service,
Nov 21, 2006 - 10:30:48 PM
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) India and China Tuesday adopted a '10-pronged strategy' to intensify ties and signed 13 agreements in diverse areas including trade, agriculture and education while stressing the need for an 'early settlement' of the border row to push their relations to a new level.
The world's two fastest growing economies also agreed to expand 'comprehensive economic and commercial engagement' between them by doubling bilateral trade to $40 billion by 2010, said a joint statement issued after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao who arrived here on a four-day visit.
The two countries decided to upgrade bilateral ties to a 'qualitatively new level' and imbue it with 'global significance' by holding regular summit-level meetings and discussing the issue of civil nuclear cooperation between them.
'Additional consulates-general will be opened in each country, one in Kolkata for China and one in Guangzhou (correct) for India, to facilitate growing interaction in trade and tourism,' Manmohan Singh said in his speech after 'cordial, open and constructive talks' with Hu.
The long-pending issue of the Indian consulate in Shanghai has been resolved, Manmohan Singh added.
'President Hu and I have agreed that the positive development of India-China relations in recent years must be made irreversible,' he stressed. 'Cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy will be promoted.'
'China and India are both major developing countries and our relationship has global significance,' Hu said in his remarks, adding the two sides will expand cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture, investment and human resource development.
'Both India and China are fully confident of this relationship,' Hu stressed.
The two countries also agreed to accelerate their efforts to find 'fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution' to their decades-old border dispute at an early date.
Next year has also been designated the China-India Friendship Year for Tourism.
The agreements signed covered diverse areas, including the protection of bilateral investment, trading of iron ore and export of rice, agriculture, education, forestry and the conservation of cultural heritage.
Earlier Tuesday Hu was accorded a ceremonial welcome in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, as his cavalcade drove into the presidential palace escorted by mounted riders of the President's Bodyguard.
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Manmohan Singh were on hand to greet him.
The Indian and Chinese national anthems were played and Hu then inspected the honour guard.
'I look forward to strengthening friendship, increasing mutual trust and expanding cooperation during my visit,' Hu said in a brief Tuesday morning statement.
'Twenty-two years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting India. It gives me great pleasure to return to a great country like India at the invitation of President Kalam,' said Hu, the first Chinese president to visit India in 10 years.
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