Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in New York on Wednesday, with both leaders stressing the importance of further developing bilateral ties and cooperation, as China and India are two developing powers in Asia.

Wen emphasized that as both developing powers, China and India should join hands in seeking development together, which will cast significant and far-reaching influence to the world.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their meeting in New York, the United States, September 24, 2008. [Liu Jiansheng/Xinhua]

In face of a complicated and changeable world situation, as well as a roily world financial market, China and India should enhance coordination and cope with the problems together, which meets the interests of both countries, and which is important for world and regional peace and stability, said Wen.

The Chinese premier pledged to work with the Indian side to further promote exchange and cooperation based on mutual respect and equal consultation, in a bid to properly handle issues of common concern such as the border issue, and to push bilateral relations to move forward smoothly.

Speaking on the same occasion, Singh said that India and China are not rivals but strategic cooperation partners. Developing friendly and close cooperative relations with China is a priority in India's foreign relations, said the prime minister.

India is committed to promoting cooperation with China in all bilateral fields, and will strengthen exchange and negotiation with the Chinese side on such areas as international trade, energy security and climate change, said Singh.

India wishes the two sides will speed up the negotiation process and reach an agreement soon on solving the border issue between the two nations acceptable by both sides, said the Indian PM. He appreciated China's positive attitude to India's peaceful development of nuclear energy, and hoped China and India could initiate cooperation in this aspect.

The Chinese Premier met Singh in New York before attending a high-level UN meeting for the Millennium Development Goals scheduled for Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2008)