Bali : There was enough space for both India and China to flourish, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Friday in their opening remarks at talks being held in the backdrop of persisting tensions between the two nations.
Stating that they had long agreed to meet again to exchange views on important issues, Wen reminded Manmohan Singh of his comment that there was enough space for the two countries to grow. To that he added that there “were enough areas in the world where China and India can enhance cooperation”.
“It is important for our two countries, the most populous in the world, to achieve modernization and work hand in hand,” the Chinese leader said, adding that he was “fully confident that that kind of world will arrive”.
Stating that he was committed to developing “the best of relations with China”, Manmohan Singh also picked up on the same point. “As you have said, there is enough space for India and China to grow and flourish,” the prime minister said, describing Wen’s visit to India last December as a milestone.
He said the two countries were not only neighbours but also large growing economies that should cooperate on a range of issues “regional, bilateral and global”. There had been “positive impact” whenever the two countries had cooperated on issues such as climate change, Manmohan Singh said during the delegation level talks at Hotel Laguna where Wen is staying.
Manmohan Singh had earlier in the morning met US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN and the East Asia Summit in this Indonesian resort town.
IANS
