Visiting Premier Wen Jiabao said in New Delhi Monday that parliamentary exchange is an important channel to improve the people-to-people relationship, and China encourages more parliamentary exchanges with India.  

At a meeting with Indian parliament speaker, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Wen voiced his hope that those from the Indian parliament would continue to improve Sino-Indian relations and contact between the two peoples.

The premier said China and India are the largest developing countries of the world with one-third global populations. The good-neighborly relations of mutual benefit between the two countries are in the interest of the peoples, and help regional peace, stability and development, he added.

Wen said Sino-Indian relations have developed smoothly since the two countries forged diplomatic ties, and he hoped the two sides could establish the closer partnership and outline the cooperation in all fields, so that Sino-Indian ties would be promoted to a new high.

Shekhawat said Indian parliament has strong will to further the relations with China and its people.

He said India and China are now enjoying quickly growing relationship, and Wen's visit will inject new dynamics to the cooperation between the two countries.

India is the final leg of Wen's four-nation South Asia tour that has taken him to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Wen will conclude the visit Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2005)