New Delhi, April 12 : Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday said that correctly understanding India-China relations was critical not only for the development of the two countries but also for peace and stability in South Asia.
"China and India need to review their bilateral relations from a strategic perspective," Wen said while delivering a lecture, "Advancing Friendship: For A Common Future", at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here.
To foster friendship, he suggested, the two countries should work on mutually enhancing political trust, expanding economic cooperation that is commensurate with the size of their economies and safeguarding their legitimate trade interests.
If the two countries abide by these rules and that of Panchsheel - the five principles of peaceful co-existence signed between India and China in 1955 - "we can see faster development in all spheres", Wen noted.
He said it was also essential for developing countries (like China and India) to close ranks to reverse the global trade discrepancies created by developed countries.
In this context, he pointed out that China and India were no longer rivals.
Wen said he hoped to see a "peaceful and prosperous India", while drawing attention to the fact that a "peaceful and prosperous China is also in India's interest".
He reiterated that India and China should join hands and pool resources to lead the world IT industry and usher in an "Asian century" in the hi-tech field.
"I hope China and India hold each other's hands for a better future," Wen said, concluding with a stirring "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai", a phrase from the India-China bonhomie of the early 1950s.
(IANS)
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