Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao today said India and China should "work hard to push their strategic cooperative partnership to higher level" and asked CPI(M) and other Indian left parties to play an important role in safeguarding the Sino-Indian friendship.
"The two sides need to work hard to push their strategic cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity to a higher level", Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao told a visiting delegation headed by CPI(M) Prakash Karat here.
Noting that left wing parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist) play an important role in safeguarding China-India friendship, Li said he hopes the party can strengthen contact with the ruling Communist Party of China, (CPC) to promote stable and healthy development of the relationship between the two countries, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Karat, who is visiting China after a gap of eight years, told PTI that Li showed keen interest in meeting the five member delegation of his party and their discussions focussed on steps to improve India-China relations.
Li was interested to know CPI(M)'s views about the improvement of Sino-Indian ties, he said.
Karat said Premier Li Keqiang's recent visit to India produced good outcome and there is scope for improving economic and trade ties between the two countries.
The CPI(M) delegation is due to meet Liu Yunshan, the member the influential seven member Standing Committee of the CPC which governs the country, tomorrow.
Earlier, Karat had talks with CPC Vice Minister, Ai Ping.
