国内英语新闻:Chinese, Indian leaders call for enhanced friendship

NEW DELHI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday called for continuous efforts to enhance the friendly relations between the two countries.

"In the past 60 years, China and India have overcome various difficulties in making strides forward and have gained rejuvenation," said Premier Wen when attending the celebration activities of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and India and the closing ceremony of the "Festival of China 2010 in India."

Wen said that both sides have upheld the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence which they initiated together, sought good neighborliness, treated each other equally and worked for cooperation of mutual benefits, adding that these are the precious experiences obtained in the development of bilateral ties in more than half a century.

The Chinese premier called on both sides to carry on the friendship generation after generation despite changes on the world arena and difficulties that may lie ahead.

Wen stressed both China and India are in a key period of development, and that they should enhance political and strategic mutual trust, expand pragmatic cooperation in economy, trade and science and technology, strengthen coordination in regional and international affairs, upgrade the status and influence of developing nations, so as to make greater contributions to building a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity.

The premier meanwhile expressed his gratitude to the people on both sides who have worked hard for the success of the Festival of China in India, and wished the Indian people happiness and healthiness in the coming new year.

When addressing the ceremony, Singh said China is India's biggest neighbor, and that it is a consistent diplomatic objective of India to develop ties with China.

He also hailed the China-India cooperation as a cornerstone for a century of Asia, saying it also has global and strategic significance.

China and India are friends, not rivals, and there is enough room in the world for China and India to develop at the same time, Singh said.

He added that the two countries should jointly enhance exchanges and cooperation in a bid to make new achievements in the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership.

Wen arrived here Wednesday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Singh.