Indian president meets with Chinese FM

NEW DELHI, June 9 -- Indian President Pranab Mukherjee met here Monday with visiting special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Mukherjee said that India and China are two great ancient civilizations and have a long history of friendly exchanges.

He said that over the past few years, India and China have commonly faced up to the challenges of international financial crisis, and played a major role in helping bring about resumption of growth of world economy and reform of international monetary system.

Mukherjee said India is willing to work with China to continue to push forward bilateral cooperation and instill new contents and dynamics into the India-China strategic partnership.

Wang said that Mukherjee is an old friend of the Chinese people and has made great contributions to developing bilateral relations.

He said that if the near 2.6 billion people of China and India join hands to realize modernization, they will accomplish a great panorama in human history.

This is not only the common mission of China and India, but also the responsibility the two countries shoulder for the world, he said.

Wang said that both China and India should regard each other as priority in developing strategy of external relations, and look upon each other's development as their own opportunities.

They would thereby increase common interests, realize their peaceful development, cooperative development and inclusive development, as well as keep friendly cooperation as the mainstream of their relations, said the Chinese foreign minister.