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Government Documents
Government Documents
UPDATED: March 3, 2011 NO. 8 FEBRUARY 24, 2011
Working Together for New Glories of the Oriental Civilization
Address at the Indian Council of World Affairs, by Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, in New Delhi, on December 16, 2010
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Your Excellency S. M. Krishna, Minister of External Affairs,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I want to thank the Indian Council of World Affairs for its warm reception and thoughtful arrangements. It is a great pleasure for me to meet you, distinguished representatives of people from various sectors of India. I know that hundreds of millions of Indians are watching the live coverage of my speech, as are hundreds of millions of Chinese. Standing on this podium, I feel deeply honored and a strong sense of responsibility. First of all, please allow me to extend, on behalf of the Chinese people, warm greetings to the hard-working, talented and great people of India.

China and India are two ancient civilizations in the East. We are friendly neighbors sharing common mountains and rivers and our combined population exceeds 2.5 billion. I believe, when our two nations have heart-to-heart communication, the whole world will pay attention and listen to what we say. We have reason to be proud of it.

My last visit to India was in 2005 and India's fast development left a deep impression on me. Over the past five years, India has maintained robust economic growth and made major headway in science and technology. In particular, you have done an exceptional job in tackling the severe international financial crisis. The rise of India has caught the eye of the whole world and added to the confidence and strength of all developing countries, China included. I want to take this opportunity to offer you my sincere congratulations.

The Upanishad says, "The truth is above all and is the common foundation of conception." Prime Minister Singh and I are old friends. We have had long discussions on a dozen occasions and forged a sincere friendship. We both believe that independence, self-ownership and self-improvement are the soul of a nation, and only by staying open and inclusive can a country be strong and prosperous. And we agree that there is enough space in the world for the development of both China and India and enough areas for our two countries to cooperate. Such important consensus is deeply rooted in the time-honored cultural traditions of the two countries and our long history of exchanges. It comes from our correct reading of the international situation and keen understanding of our national interests.

For thousands of years, numerous ties have linked China and India closely together. The famous Silk Road witnessed many touching stories. Buddhism from India enriched the Chinese culture, while the traditional Chinese culture left its imprint in India. India's sage poet Rabindranath Tagore forged a deep friendship with many famous Chinese scholars. Chinese Sanskrit master Ji Xianlin devoted his whole life to the study and teaching of ancient Indian culture. The long history and profound impact of the exchanges between our two countries are truly rarely seen in the history of world civilization.

In pursuing the just cause of fighting colonial rule for national independence and liberation, the Chinese and Indian people sympathized with and supported each other. India's assistance to China's anti-Fascist war has been written into the annals of history, and the heroic deeds of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis will be forever engraved on our mind. India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the New China, and an ardent advocate for restoring the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China at the United Nations. Together, our two countries initiated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and played an important role at the famous Bandung Conference, making outstanding contributions to upholding the independence and solidarity of Asian and African countries and promoting world peace.

China and India are two big neighboring countries with different historical and cultural background and social systems. It is hardly avoidable that we may have some disagreements and differences. China-India relations experienced major twists and turns. But they were only a short episode in our 2,000-year history of friendly exchanges. From our rich cultural heritage, we can draw wisdom and courage to face history squarely and work together for the future. Nothing can shake our firm conviction to pursue good-neighborly relations and friendship.

Entering the 21st century, both China and India have moved onto the fast track of development, and our bilateral relations have made important headway. We have established the strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity and set out the "10-Pronged Strategy." Bilateral trade has grown by nearly 20 times within 10 years. China has become India's largest trading partner and India is China's largest trading partner in South Asia. We have intensified exchanges, and jointly held a series of major activities. We now have a stronger desire to know more about and learn from each other. China and India have worked in concert to meet global challenges such as climate change, advance the reform of the international financial and economic systems and promote regional cooperation. We have strengthened cooperation within the BRIC and G20 mechanisms, and effectively safeguarded our common interests. Our endeavors have attracted the attention of the entire world.

As a Chinese saying goes, "When drinking water, one should think of its source." The current sound momentum of China-India good-neighborly relations has not come easily. We will always remember the dedicated efforts of the older generations of the Chinese and Indian leaders. I wish to take this opportunity to express heartfelt thanks and pay high tribute to people from all sectors who have long been committed to China-India friendship and cooperation.

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