India, China pledge better friendship

Agreeing that Sino-Indian relations had implications for the world at large, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao today pitched for "greater substance" to bilateral strategic partnership.

In a new year message to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Singh said the fast developing ties between the two countries were an important determinant for peace and security as well as development and prosperity of Asia and the world.

"We are confident that in the new year, we will be able to continue, with greater determination, to impart further depth and substance to our rapidly growing ties, and add an important new chapter to our friendship," Singh said to mark the two countries' decision to declare 2006 as "India-China friendship year".

Singh said India and China "made significant progress in addressing some of the long-standing issues in our relationship without allowing them to define the agenda of our cooperative ties."

"Indeed, our fast-developing relationship today transcends the bilateral dimension and is an important determinant for the peace and security as well as development and prosperity, of Asia and the world", Singh said, adding that it was important to continue adding "greater substance" to the bilateral exchanges and international cooperation.

In a message to Singh, Jintao said, "An ever-lasting China-India friendship not only serves the fundamental interests of the two countries but also contributes to peace, stability and development in the region and the entire world".