India-China to march as friends not rivals

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Thursday said India and China will march together as
friends and not as rivals in the 21st century, describing it
as a century that belongs to Asia.
Addressing a high-profile gathering of people from
India and China at the celebrations to mark 60 years of
establishment of diplomatic ties between the two Asian giants,
Singh also said there is enough space in the world for both
India and China to grow and fulfil development aspirations of
their respective people.
"In the development of this century, India and China
will march together as friends, not as rivals," Singh said to
thunderous appaluse from the 3,000-odd audience.
Expressing satisfaction over his talks with his
Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao Thursday, Singh also
appreciated his "personal role" in advocating the need for
strengthening the strategic partnership between the two
countries.
"This has laid the ground work for the future India-
China relations," Singh said, adding that India-China
cooperation will be the keystone of the "Asian century that is
unfolding before us."
He said India and China have played a crucial role in
increasing awareness about each other's cultures and
civilisation. India and China are two great civilisations that
have flourished for thousands of years.
He said both countries should work towards bridging
the "information gap" between the two nations and learn about
each other's achievement on their own rather than through
third countries.
"Universally, it has been acknowledged that 21st
century is Asian century," he said.
The two Prime Ministers also praised each other for
their role in Sino-India ties with Wen calling for
"heart-to-heart" exchanges between the two emerging economies.
While Singh called Wen "a very dear friend of mine",
the Chinese Premier said his Indian counterpart was his "old
friend."
Wen said: "Heart-to-heart exchanges between the two
countries will help in further boosting the ties between China
and India.
"The outcome of my visit has been successful. We can
say that an Asian century has arrived," he said.
"We must close the information gap between the two
countries and know about each country's development on our own
rather than through third countries," Singh said.