China on Thursday reaffirmed its partnership with India, after India testfired its homemade nuclear-capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on India's missile launch.

The missile, with a strike range of over 5,000 kilometers, was testfired at 08:07 a.m. local time from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast, said V.L. Saraswat, chief of the India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

China has taken note of media reports of the missile launch, said Liu, adding that China and India, both large, emerging economies, are cooperative partners rather than rivals.

Bilateral ties are developing well at the moment, he said, adding he believed that both sides will seize the opportunity to further advance relations.

At the BRICS Summit in March, leaders of China and India reiterated the consensus to further strengthen bilateral ties, said Liu.

He called on both sides to cherish the hard-earned good momentum of bilateral relations and deepen their strategic cooperation, so as to promote common development and safeguard regional peace and stability.

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