India's Ambassador to China Shivshankar Menon said in Lhasa Monday that India is willing to strengthen cooperation with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
On a visit to Tibet, Menon was met by Raidi, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, who briefed him on the great changes in Tibet over the past decades, especially in standards of living, education and infrastructure construction.
Raidi said he found many people in India still knew very little about Tibet, and he hoped the two sides could increase exchanges and understanding.
Menon said India and China were well-placed to develop bilateral relations, traditional border trade between India and Tibet in particular.
The Indian ambassador arrived in Lhasa Sunday. He will visit several major cities in Tibet before wrapping up his visit on July 8.
(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2002)