Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's speech at banquet hosted for Premier Wen Jiabao of China

I am delighted to welcome Premier Wen Jiabao and members of his distinguished delegation to India.

Excellency, you are a friend of India, and the architect of the India-China Strategic and Cooperative Partnership established during your landmark visit to India in 2005. Your personal commitment to expanding and strengthening our bilateral ties is deeply valued by the people of India.

Your visit, Excellency, is a fitting culmination to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China.

India and China are young nations but ancient civilizations. Our history abounds in exchanges of scholars, monks, pilgrims, traders, craftspersons, travellers and ideas. These exchanges have enriched our societies. They have given strength and resilience to our relations in modern times.

Since your last visit to India, Excellency, the world has witnessed significant changes. India has been engaged in the task of socio-economic transformation. We have a mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity. We have lot to learn from each other's development experiences.

Excellency, our relationship has transcended the bilateral dimension and has assumed global and strategic significance. The growing inter-dependence of nations provides both the opportunity and the obligation for India and China to cooperate together to meet the challenges facing the international community.

The fact is that when India and China, representing more than two and half billion people speak in one voice, the world listens.

Excellency, India-China relations have achieved a high degree of maturity that serves the interest of our two peoples. As the Asian century unfolds, we must work together to bring peace, stability and development to our peoples, to the region and to the world at large. India stands ready to play its part in this important and noble enterprise.

Excellency, the people of India admire the Chinese people for the rapid strides they have made in all fields. Let us pledge to work sincerely for the rapid development of our ties in the second decade of this century for the common good of the region.

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to join me in raising a toast to:

� the good health and well-being of Premier Wen;

� the prosperity and happiness of the Chinese people; and

� long-lasting friendship between India and China.

Thank you.