Chinese President Hu Jintao (front, center) and his wife Liu Yongqing (front, right) chat with Indian President Abdul Kalam (front, left) before they hold official meetings in New Delhi, capital of India, Nov. 21, 2006. Hu arrived here on Monday evening for a state visit to India at the invitation of Abdul Kalam. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese President Hu Jintao met in New Delhi Tuesday (Nov 21) evening with Indian President Abdul Kalam.

The two presidents highly valued bilateral traditional friendship and cultural exchanges, and said they believe that China-India cooperation is of global significance.

Hu said he is convinced that Sino-Indian strategic and cooperative partnership will make greater progress in the future.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Indian President Abdul Kalam in New Delhi, capital of India, Nov. 21, 2006. Hu arrived here on Monday evening for a state visit to India at the invitation of Indian President Abdul Kalam.(Xinhua Photo)

Kalam said Hu's visit is a historic milestone in bilateral relations which will continue to score achievements in various fields.

He said India will spare no effort to inject vigor into bilateral relations and work with China to push forward bilateral partnership.

Before the meeting, the two presidents addressed youth representatives from the two countries at a gathering in celebration of the China-India friendship year.

Hu arrived here Monday evening on a state visit as Kalam's guest.

This is the first visit to India by Chinese head of state in 10 years.

India is the third leg of Hu's four-nation tour, which has already taken him to Vietnam and Laos. He will later visit Pakistan.

Hu also attended the 14th APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders' Meeting between Nov. 17 and 19 in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.

Chinese president meets Indian parliament leaders 

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Indian Speaker of House of the People Somnath Chatterjee in New Delhi, capital of India, Nov. 21, 2006. Hu said exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Indian legislatures played an important role in bilateral relations and acted as a major channel in improving friendship and cooperation between the two peoples. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Chairman of the Upper House of Indian Parliament Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi, capital of India, Nov. 21, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Chairman of the Upper House of Indian Parliament Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Speaker of House of the People Somnath Chatterjee respectively on Tuesday.

Hu said exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Indian legislatures played an important role in bilateral relations and acted as a major channel in improving friendship and cooperation between the two peoples.

In the past few years, China's National People's Congress (NPC)had carried out active and diversified exchanges with India's House of the People, including setting up a mechanism of regular exchanges, which had greatly improved mutual understanding, he said.

Hu expressed the hope that the legislatures of the two countries, from central to local levels, would keep expanding their exchanges and cooperation.

Shekhawat and Chatterjee told Hu that India-China relations would move forward with close cooperation in political, economic and cultural sectors, as well as with exchanges of people, especially youth.

They said exchanges between Indian and Chinese legislatures had contributed a lot to the improvement of bilateral ties and that the Indian Parliament would like to enhance dialogue with the NPC.

Chinese president meets Indian AINC president

Chinese President Hu Jintao(R) meets with Sonia Gandhi, president of the All Indian National Congress (AINC) of India in New Delhi, capital of India, Nov. 21, 2006. Speaking highly of the important progress made in recent years in the development of bilateral ties, Hu said the Chinese side would work with the Indian side to raise the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership to a new high.(Xinhua Photo)

Chinese President Hu Jintao met here on Tuesday with Sonia Gandhi, president of the All Indian National Congress (AINC) of India.

Speaking highly of the important progress made in recent years in the development of bilateral ties, Hu said the Chinese side would work with the Indian side to raise the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership to a new high.

While highly valuing the AINC's important contributions to the development of Sino-Indian relations, he noted that the establishment of the bilateral partnership demonstrated the wisdom of the AINC leaders.

Hu said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) enjoyed sound exchanges with the AINC and he was convinced that the AINC would, under Sonia Gandhi's leadership, make new contributions to the development of bilateral relations.

Sonia Gandhi said the AINC and the Indian people held that the development of bilateral relations had brought and would continue to bring important benefits to the two countries and their peoples.

She said it would benefit the two countries and their peoples to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas of politics, economy, science, technology, culture and defense.

She said the AINC would make positive efforts to push forward the bilateral partnership, and it would further party-to-party exchanges with the CPC.

Editor: Donald