China, India to promote bilateral ties from new starting point

QINGDAO - President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday agreed to take their April meeting in Wuhan as a new starting point to promote bilateral relations.

The two leaders reached the consensus during a meeting in the coastal Chinese city of Qingdao ahead of the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.

Recalling that he and Modi successfully had an informal meeting and reached important consensus in Wuhan of Hubei province more than one month ago, Xi said the meeting had been well received by both countries and the international community, and a positive atmosphere is taking shape to pay close attention to and support the development of China-India relations.

China is willing to work with India to take the Wuhan meeting as a new starting point to continuously enhance political mutual trust and engage in mutually beneficial cooperation across the board, so as to push forward China-India relations in a better, faster and steadier manner, Xi said.

Noting that China and India have reaped quite a few early-harvest outcomes in implementing the consensus reached at the Wuhan meeting, Xi said the two sides should make persistent efforts to accelerate the implementation, maintain strategic communication, expand economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and enhance coordination and cooperation on international and regional affairs.

Xi welcomed India's attendance at the summit as a full member of the SCO for the first time, saying the Chinese side stands ready to work with India and other member states to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit and promote the sound and stable development of the SCO.

Describing the informal meeting with Xi in Wuhan as "very successful and very important," Modi said it has further strengthened his confidence in the development of India-China relations, and will certainly be a milestone in the history of the bilateral ties.

India-China cooperation is of great significance to world peace and prosperity, and the Indian side is ready to advance the bilateral relations on the basis of the Wuhan meeting, said Modi.

As a new member, India is ready to play an active role in the SCO, and supports China in making the Qingdao summit a success, Modi noted.

After the meeting, Xi and Modi witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements.