Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Cebu on Sunday.

Wen said during the meeting that last year was a "Sino-India Friendship Year". The two countries have made new and important progress in friendship exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields.

He said that Chinese President Hu Jintao made a successful state visit to India last November and this has given new dynamics to further develop relations between the two countries.

Wen emphasized that both China and India are big developing countries and influential Asian nations, therefore the significance of Sino-Indian relations has gone beyond a bilateral framework and has taken in a global meaning.

He said that friendly relations between China and India are beneficial not only for the two countries but also for Asia and the whole world. He said China regards India as an important cooperative partner and always considers the development of India as beneficial for China itself, therefore China is glad to see the development and prosperity of India and the country holds sincere wishes and a firm belief in developing friendship and cooperation with India.

Singh positively evaluated the development of relations between India and China. He said India and China are both developing very quickly, which offers a tremendous opportunity for the two countries to carry out cooperation.

He said strengthening good neighborly and friendly relations with China is the common stand of all Indian people and the sincere wish of the Indian government.

Singh said that regardless of what other people say, India will firmly follow the direction set in accordance with the Indian- Chinese strategic partnership to make common progress with China on the 21st century world stage.

Wen and Singh agreed that in 2007, China and India continue to maintain high level visits and exchange views in time on all major issues. The two leaders also agreed to take active measures to seriously implement the five-year plan on comprehensive economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and the agreement on promoting and protecting investment aimed at removing trade and investment barriers, and complete the feasibility study on the regional trade arrangement between China and India.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen exchanges in the field of macro-economic strategy, look into the possibility of establishing permanent consultation mechanism between officials and experts of the two countries.

They agreed that China and India should push forward border talks under the principles of political guidance and on the basis of the spirit of peace, friendship, equal consultations, mutual respect and mutual understanding.

The two leaders also agreed to further strengthen consultations on international and regional affairs.

Source: Xinhua