Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said Tuesday that China is ready to work with India to further the two nations' friendly cooperation.
Zhu made the remarks while meeting Manohar Joshi, speaker of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) of the Republic of India.
Zhu expressed congratulation to the guest on the 50th anniversary of the Lok Sabha's founding.
He said that China and India, both developing countries with ancient civilizations and facing common tasks of development and raising living standards, could develop their constructive partnership of cooperation on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence. Historical problems should never hamper cooperation, he said.
Economically complementary, the two countries' trade volume surged by 30 percent last year, demonstrating the bright prospects for trade and economic cooperation.
Joshi said India and China cherished a long history of reciprocal connections and exchanges. There existed no fundamental conflicts in their interests, and so long as they abided by the five principles of peaceful co-existence, relations would surely advance.
India is willing to expand cooperation with China and further strengthen the ties with China, Joshi said.
Joshi conveyed Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's best wishes to the Chinese premier, who asked the guest to send his regards to Vajpayee.
(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2003)
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