Dr Singh, Jintao have a reason to cheer

Relations between India and China have reached fast-track growth, said Chinese President Hu Jintao after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday.

Notwithstanding the controversy over Arunachal Pradesh, both leaders have a substantial reason to cheer too.

Bilateral trade between India and China has reached new heights with the trade figure reaching $11.4 billion at a growth rate of 56.8 per cent in first four months. For China, it is among the fastest growing trade relations, which is expected to achieve the $40 billion trade target much before 2010 -- the projected traget.

On the sidelines of G-8 meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is meeting important leaders of the world in Berlin before flying to Heilegendamm where the G-8 summit is taking place.

Foreign Secretary S S Menon, while briefing about the Dr Singh-Jintao meeting, said, "Both leaders reviewed the relations since President Jintao's visit to India last November."

During Jintao's visit, both countries had charted out the 10-point strategy to strengthen and carry forward the strategic cooperative partnership. They reviewed the 10-point strategy and expressed satisfaction at its progress.

Jintao and Dr Singh discussed many broader issues like climate change, which will be taken up on Thursday evening in the meeting of Outreach-5 that includes India, China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, and issues that will be debated at G-8 in Heilegendamm.

President Jintao also reiterated his invitation to Dr Singh to visit China.

Menon said there is a large degree of congruence or identity of views between China and India.

Replying to a question, Menon said both countries did not discuss issue of Arunachal Pradesh, but border issues were discussed and both sides will work under the guiding principles and parameters decided in 2005.

However, Menon did not confirm that Dr Singh had described China as India's 'greatest neighbour.'

Agencies had quoted Dr Singh as saying that India considered China as the 'greatest neighbour' and that 'it will be India's endeavour to do everything possible to cement India-China relationship.'

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