Li's India visit attracts global attention

Overcome border tensions

India and China pledge to overcome border tensions, says an article from Voice of America. Excerpts:

The leaders of Asian giants India and China say they will take steps to build greater mutual trust a month after a tense dispute over their shared border.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang acknowledged the need to improve various border mechanisms and overcome differences between his country and India. But he placed more emphasis on the global impact of cooperation between the two of the world's emerging superpowers.

Peaceful coexistence

Arriving in India as his first stop of maiden foreign tour, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday that China regards India as an important partner and friend, and it serves their bilateral interests and the world to coexist peacefully, said India Today. Excerpts:

In a written statement issued on his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon, Li said, "it serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people and is a blessing to Asia and the world at large that China and India coexist peacefully, maintain friendly relations and work together to realize national rejuvenation."

Li expressed confidence that his visit would strengthen mutual trust, deepen cooperation, expand common interests and consolidate bilateral friendship, which would inject new vigor into the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership designed for peace and prosperity.

Important visit

When India and China on Monday signed eight agreements and memorandums of understanding, Indian government officials gushed over Li's visit as being "substantive and productive", said dnaindia.com. Excerpts:

India is the first of four stops on Li's maiden overseas trip, but the only agreement on key issues has been to discuss them in detail in future. Li arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, and will leave for Pakistan on Wednesday.

Syed Akbaruddin, India's foreign affairs ministry spokesperson, said Li's visit "has been two very, very useful, productive, important, substantive days".

Addressing a joint press conference after delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he and Li had "wide-ranging and candid discussions" and that the two "took stock of lessons learnt from the recent incident in the western sector, when existing mechanisms proved their worth".