India pays great importance to ties with China: PM

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday that India pays great importance to developing friendly relations with China and enhancing ties between the armed forces of the two countries.

During a meeting with visiting Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie, Singh said he highly evaluated the current situation of India-China relations and asked Liang to convey his cordial good wishes to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Stressing that India-China relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world, the Indian PM said such a relationship has its impact beyond the two countries and has attained global importance.

He added the two countries should strengthen cooperation in all fields, including defense and security, and deepen strategic cooperative partnership oriented towards peace and prosperity to contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and the world at large.

The prime minister said India is willing to work together with China in this effort.

Liang said that as two neighbors of great significance to each other, China and India share extensive common interests, huge mutual needs and great space of common development.

He said China and India should cherish mutual respect and mutual support to maintain healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.

This will contribute not only to the benefits of the people of the two countries, but also to peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the whole world.

Liang said China would like to work with India to promote friendly exchanges, enhance strategic mutual trust, push forward pragmatic cooperation and work for the continuous development of ties between the two countries and two armed forces.