Li: China, India have vast room for further co-op

NEW DELHI - China and India have vast room for further cooperation and both countries should seize new opportunities to advance their strategic ties, visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday.

"China and India are two largest developing countries and emerging markets in the world," Li said in a speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs.

"China-India relations are one of the world's most important bilateral relations in the 21st century," Li said. "Their cooperation has vast room of further development."

Li urged both countries to look forward and seize the new opportunities in their strategic cooperation.

Two-way learning between the world's oldest civilizations will bring new vitality, while the complementation and connection of the world's two major markets will unleash new potential for growth, he said.

The common development of the two giant neighbors will create a new paradigm for cooperation, and the peaceful coexistence of two major developing economies has global significance, Li added.

As two big neighbors with the greatest potential for growth, China and India are natural partners and have far more common interests than differences, Li said.

The two countries have agreed that each should see the other's development as a major opportunity for itself.

They have pledged to work together to write a new chapter of their bilateral relations, nurture new bright spots in cooperation among Asian countries and create a new engine for the world economy, said the Chinese premier.

It is a blessing to Asia and the world that China and India will join hands in their development, Li said.

The Chinese premier spoke highly of the broad strategic consensus reached during his visit and deepened strategic mutual trust.

"The fact that both countries have put their concerns on the table shows the sincerity of both sides toward their relationship and their wisdom to handle problems," Li said.

China and India can certainly push bilateral ties to a higher level if they maintain a future-oriented attitude, enhance mutual trust, focus on finding a solution to problems and work hard to deepen their cooperation, Li said.

The Chinese premier summarized the fruitful results of his Indian trip aimed at advancing the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.

The two countries have launched new initiatives to advance comprehensive cooperation, identified new ways to combine and complement their markets, explored new measures to promote inter-connectivity between their economies, broadened the scope of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and strengthened communication and coordination in international and regional affairs.

He pointed out that both sides have also agreed to continue to push forward negotiations on border issues.