India, China can grow together, Beijing tells Krishna

Expressing satisfaction over the progress in the Sino-India relations, Beijing today said there is enough space and opportunity for the people of both countries to develop together.

The bilateral relationship made good progress and "we are satisfied with the progress",

Zhou Yongkong, a senior politburo member of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), said while welcoming Indian external affairs minister S M Krishna in Beijing.

Zhou, the ninth-ranking Chinese politician and in charge of the country's security said, "There is enough opportunity and space for the development for the 2.5 billion people of China and India combined."

Krishna, who arrived last night, began his visit by meeting Zhou followed by a scheduled lunch meeting with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi.

He would later meet Wang Jiarui, a senior official of the international department of the Communist Party of China, followed by a meeting with top diplomat and state counsellor Dai Bingguo, who visited New Delhi last month to take part in the 15th round India-China border talks.