Relations with China improving: Indian envoy

Indian Ambassador to China S Jaishankar said in Beijing today that the convergence of interests of India and China will transcend rhetoric and manifest itself in substantial cooperation and interaction.

"This could be expressed in different dimensions of our relationship: on bilateral ties, on regional questions and on global issues," he told Xinhua.

India hoped Wen Jiabao's visit to India would raise the level of bilateral cooperation, Jaishankar said.

Relations had developed positively since Wen's last visit in 2005, when China and India agreed to establish a "strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity."

He said the two countries had built up a record of interaction in a range of fields, from agriculture and environment to urbanisation and transport.

"Even on our differences, we have managed them well while seeking long-term solutions," he said.

Bilateral trade reached $49.8 billion for the first 10 months of the year, and the two nations are expected to achieve their trade target of $60 billion by the year-end.

"What the sharp increase in bilateral trade really tells us is that there is a natural fit between the economies of India and China at their present stage of development," he said.