Dec 13: China today said Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India this week will be a "big event" in Sino-India relations and aims to build mutual trust and expand bilateral trade. China view the three-day visit of Wen to New Delhi will be "big event in India-China relations", Hu Zhengyue, China's Assistant Foreign Minister told a special media briefing on Premier's visit to India and Pakistan. Heading the biggest ever delegation of 400 businessmen, Wen would be arriving in New Delhi on a three-day visit on December 15.
During Wen's visit to India, China hopes to "strengthen the high level contacts to enhance strategic mutual trust and build consensus", Hu said. "Economically we hope to expand bilateral trade, intensify mutual investment and enhance cooperation in infrastructure, construction and other fields. China hopes to intensify people-to-people contacts, hope to share each other's experiences of development so that we can compliment with each other's strengths," he said.
The booming bilateral trade which is on course to touch USD 60 billion has already crossed USD 49.84 billion this October with Indian exports amounting to USD 17 billion, while China continue to dominate with 32.87 billion worth of exports.
On the cultural front, Hu said, China hopes to intensify people-to people-exchanges, "enhance mutual understanding to gain more popular support for our relations to maintain positive cooperation for peace".
"On the international and regional affairs we hope to intensify communication and coordination and make positive contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability in the world and promote common development," he said.
Wen, 68, would also visit Pakistan on the three-day visit starting from December 17. During his visit to India, Wen will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and have meetings with President Pratibha Patil and the Chairman of UPA Sonia Gandhi and other Indian leaders, Hu said.
Wen will attend a series of events to mark friendly exchanges to celebrate the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He will also deliver an "important policy speech" on China-India relations, Hu said.
"China and India are each other's important neighbours, emerging economies and major developing countries. Their relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships of the two countries. Leaders of both the countries have agreed that there is enough space in the world for China and India to develop together and enough areas for them to cooperate with each other," Hu said.