China Wants To Boost Trade, Military Ties With India

SUPERPOWERS

Liu Jianchao said Beijing was hoping for an increase "as soon as possible," adding that an original target of 20 billion dollars a year by 2008 would be reached ahead of schedule.

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Dec 14, 2005
China on Wednesday said its level of trade with India was too low and pressed for more cooperation between the world's two largest developing nations.

"Both countries feel a common responsibility to promote progress and development in the world," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said after the inaugural East Asia Summit here.

"Both exchanged opinions on trade issues and expressed satisfaction about progress in trade. At the same time, in view of the size of our populations, the current volume of trade is too low," Liu said.

He said Beijing was hoping for an increase "as soon as possible," adding that an original target of 20 billion dollars a year by 2008 would be reached ahead of schedule.

China and India were two of the 16 nations that gathered in the Malaysian capital for the East Asia Summit, which ended with a declaration of greater cooperation in the region.

Liu said the two nations had also discussed military cooperation and the possibility of regular exchanges "in order to step up mutual trust and understanding on defence."

Source: Agence France-Presse

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