NEW DELHI, Sept. 19 -- China and India vowed to forge a closer development partnership on Friday with practical cooperation plans in such areas as investment, counterterrorism, military and cultural exchanges.
The two countries set out detailed targets in a joint statement issued here on the final day of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the southern neighbor.
China will establish two industrial parks in western India and try to increase its investment in Indian industrial and infrastructure projects to 20 billion U.S. dollars in the next five years, read the document.
India, for its part, said it welcomes Chinese investment in its manufacturing and infrastructure projects.
They both pledged to facilitate the investment and operations of companies from the other side in their markets, and to work together to forge production and supply chain linkages and thus help develop a more broad-based and sustainable economic partnership.
The two neighbors also reiterated their "zero tolerance" of terrorism in all its forms and their commitment to counterterrorism cooperation.
Noting that improved bilateral military ties are conducive to building mutual trust and confidence, both sides agreed to a regular exchange of visits between their defense ministries and military leaders.
They also agreed to hold the fourth joint army training at a convenient time, hold navy/airforce joint exercise at a proper time and strengthen cooperation in such areas as peace-keeping, naval escort, maritime security and think tank communication.
Pending a final resolution of their boundary issue, the two sides will together maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, and commit to seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution, said the document.
For further promoting the two countries' religious exchanges, the Chinese side announced the opening of a new route for Indian pilgrims to China's Tibet Autonomous Region, for which the Indian side expressed its welcome and appreciation.
Recognizing the deep civilizational linkages between China and India, the two sides decided to launch the China-India Cultural Exchange Initiative with multiple events and activities to further enhance the bonds between the two peoples.
India is the last stop of Xi's four-nation tour in Central and South Asia, which has already taken him to Tajikistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. In Tajikistan, he also attended a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
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