China backs greater role in international affairs for India

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) Acknowledging that there was
enough space in the world for China and India to grow, Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday said the two countries should
seize opportunities to expand converging interests and backed
New Delhi for greater role in international affairs.
"As a fast growing big country with over a billion
people, India should and can play an increasingly important
role in international affairs," he said addressing the Indian
Council of World Affairs.
However, Wen stopped short of extending full support
for India's bid for permanent membership in an expanded UN
Security Council.
"China and India have shared interests and common
views on the issue of UN Security Council reform. We both
maintain that priority should be given to increasing the
representation of developing countries," he said.
Terming the boundary dispute between the two countries
as an "historical legacy", Wen said, "It would not be easy to
completely resolve this question.
"It requires patience and will take a fairly long
period of time. Only with sincerity, mutual trust and
perseverance can we eventually find a fair, reasonable and
mutually acceptable solution," he said.
Wen noted that the two countries have had good
dialogue and communication and expressed a sincere desire to
work together to resolve the boundary question.
"In the face of difficulty, the most important thing
to do is to press ahead along the right track, narrow
differences step by step, build consensus and increase
confidence," he said.
Wen said he and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
had agreed to set up a working mechanism for consultation and
coordination on border affairs "which would help enhance our
mutual trust and maintain peace and tranquilty in the region".
On the economic front, Wen said China understood
India's concerns on bilateral trade imbalance and was ready to
take measures to facilitate access of Indian IT products,
pharmaceuticals and farm produce to the Chinese market.
China and India should work together to achieve a
USD 100 billion two-way trade target by 2015, he said, adding
that agreements worth USD 16 billion were inked during his
visit.
Wen announced that China would provide one million
dollars for the reconstruction of Nalanda University, the
ancient seat of learning in the east Indian state of Bihar
which was a favourite of visiting Chinese scholars.
The two countries declared that next year would be the
Year of China-India exchange which would see 500 Indian youths
visiting the communist nation.