Reviving the five-decades old slogan 'Hindi Chini, Bhai Bhai', Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Tuesday asserted that the two countries are not rivals or competitors but friendly neighbours out to improve their relations through cooperation.
Noting that India and China are the largest developing countries, he talked about Panchsheel and emphasised that the two countries should work together to make the 21st century that of Asia.
Complete Coverage: Wen Jiabao in India
"Some see India and China as competitors...I disagree," Wen said interacting with the students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi before winding up his four-day visit to the country.
He concluded the address by raising that famous 1950s slogan clouded by the 1962 war -- 'Hindi Chini, Bhai Bhai'.
The Chinese leader underlined that his country wished to see India "prosperous and developed. Also prosperous and
developed China is in India's interest."
Charming the young audience while hailing India's progress in recent years, he elaborately quoted Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen and Deng Xiaoping and referred to Chinese traveller Huan Tsang's historic visit to India to lay emphasis on the historic friendly ties between the two neighbours which needed to be given a lift.
Wen said India and China should "close ranks" on international issues and enhance communication and coordination to work together to promote establishment of a just international economic and political order.
The Chinese premier said the trade relations between the two countries were not commensurate with their potential.
He said India is strong in a number of sectors like farm products, auto-parts and pharmaceuticals which will be highly competitive in China where a strong demand existed for India's service sector also.
Similarly, China is strong in areas like electronic goods and could find a market in India, he said.
Noting that India and China had registered a remarkable success by moving from poverty to prosperity in the last 50
years, Wen said it was "critically important" for the two countries to keep their relations on track for development of
both the nations besides peace and development in Asia and the world at large.
He stressed the need for developing relations from specific issues to comprehensive relations and expressed confidence that all problems can be resolved through "peaceful development".
Referring to the five principles of peaceful co-existence outlined in 'Panchsheel' in 1954, he said it had left an indelible impression on peace and security in Asia.
He said he respected democracy and good neighbourly ties as well as dignity for his motherland. "China respects those who respect others," he said.
