We live in an age of change, but there are always certain things that are enduring, forever

refreshing and attractive. India is such a nation, at once old and young. I will be leading a
Chinese government delegation to India, the first country I will visit as the Premier of China. I am
very much looking forward to it and hope to make some concrete contribution to deepening the
friendship and promoting cooperation in various areas between China and India.
Both China and India have a long and great history that goes back thousands of years. The
Chinese and Indian civilizations are among the oldest of human civilization. They represent the
two pillars of the civilization of the East. The towering Himalayas have not prevented them from
mutual attraction and illumination. Fahien and Huen Tsang, two eminent Chinese monks of the
Jin and Tang dynasties respectively and Bodhidharma of ancient India all made outstanding
contribution to religious and cultural exchanges between China and India. In my student days, I
already had a strong interest in India. I was impressed by the memorable poetic lines and the
deep philosophical insights of Rabindranath Tagore, the famed "sage poet", and moved by his
profound friendship with the leading Chinese authors of his day. There was a Chinese Indologist
at my alma mater, Peking University, with whom I was well acquainted. He spent his whole life
studying and teaching ancient Indian culture and in recognition of his contribution, he was
awarded the Padma Bhushan. Indeed, from generation to generation, our two cultures have
learned and benefited from each other through exchanges and as a result, they have both
flourished with the passage of time.
When I first visited India 27 years ago, I was struck by her warm sunshine, brilliant colors,
beautiful arts, hard-working and talented people and amazing splendor and diversity. As far as I
know, the India of the 21st century is taking a fast track of innovation-driven development.
Bangalore, the "Silicon Valley of South Asia", is home to about 1/3 of IT talents in India; it is not
only the ICT center of India, but also a hub of software services in Asia. India's manufacturing
sector has also moved forward. Tata Motors ranks among the world's top five manufacturers of
commercial vehicles, and Tata Global Beverages is the world's second-largest producer of tea. I
have read that Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple, had traveled to India with no other purpose
than to learn yoga and meditation. It is believed that this gave him many inspirations and resolve
for innovation. Now, a growing number of Chinese youth are backpacking across your country,
intent on discovering and appreciating India's magnificent culture and retracing the footsteps of
history.
China and India, two big Asian countries living next door to each other, are destined to be
together.
Since modern times, our destinies have been more closely tied than ever. Our peoples
sympathized with, supported and helped each other in their quest for national independence and
liberation, leaving behind a trail of touching stories. Afterwards, our two countries jointly initiated
the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which have become the important basic norms
underpinning the new type of international relations that we both seek. Our two countries have
worked shoulder to shoulder to uphold the rights and interests of developing countries, giving
lasting traction to South-South cooperation.
Today, the handshake across the Himalayas is even stronger. Facing the same task of boosting
the economy, improving people's living standards and reviving the nation, both countries need a
peaceful and tranquil neighborhood and external environment and wish to achieve win-win
results through dialogue and cooperation. India, a strong Asian nation and a major country with
global influence, is playing an increasingly important role in international affairs. India, a BRICS
member with robust economic growth, is playing a significant role for peace and prosperity in
South Asia and in the Asia Pacific in general. China is happy to see the growth momentum of
India and ready to expand and upgrade Sino-Indian cooperation to the benefit of all-round
economic and social development in both countries.
There is no denying that China and India still have between them some difficult issues left over
from history. But the rich historical experience and the broad vision, which are common qualities
of big countries, serve as the basis for China and India to take a long-term view and live in amity
with each other. With joint efforts in the past few years, the two sides have gradually found a way
to maintain peace and tranquility in the disputed border areas, and have learned to deal with the
situation in a reasonable and mature manner. Both agree that the common interests between
China and India far outweigh their differences and that the two countries should enhance mutual
trust rather than increasing mutual suspicion. I believe that as long as we draw on wisdom and
strength on our way forward, there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome. As long as we
face the problems squarely and talk to each other with sincerity, we will eventually find proper
solutions.
China is a big country that is growing and peace-loving. What we Chinese value most are "Do
not do onto others what you do not want others to do onto you" and the philosophy that stresses
the importance of good faith and making friends with neighbors. China is more developed than
before, but it remains a developing country. Even if China becomes strong one day, it will never
embark on the doomed path of seeking hegemony. We suffered immensely from foreign bullying,
wars and chaos and know so well that the same tragedy should not be allowed to happen to
anyone ever again. China has a long way to go to achieve modernization. To successfully
manage a populous big country like China, the top priority is to ensure the supply of seven daily
necessities, namely firewood, rice, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea. In other words,
we have to address the most immediate concern of our people in everyday life. The Chinese
people want better education, more stable employment, more reliable social security, more
comfortable housing, more colorful cultural life and national stability and prosperity. It is not easy
to deliver all those to our people and modernize the country. We must focus on self-development
and that calls for a peaceful international environment. We need to live with our neighbors in
harmony and make friends in the world. To pursue a path of peaceful development is the
unwavering commitment and firm action of the Chinese people.
China owes its rapid growth to continuous reform as well as external cooperation.
Interdependence is a defining feature in state-to-state relations in this era of globalization. China
is a beneficiary and a defender of the existing international order and system and stands ready to
work with India and other countries to advance reform of the system. China will undertake
international obligations commensurate with its national strength. We stand ready to embrace the
world with a more open mind and hope that the world will view China with a calm frame of mind.
Both China and India are big countries in size and in population. Together, the populations of our
two countries exceed 2.5 billion and account for nearly 40% of the world's total. We are viewed
as the two most important emerging markets. However, our bilateral trade volume was less than
US$70 billion last year. This is incompatible with the strength and status of our two countries, but
it also points to the huge potential for expanding and upgrading our bilateral trade and business
cooperation. This is an issue that the two sides must work to resolve together.
The world looks to Asia to be the engine driving the global economy. This would be impossible
without the two powerhouses of China and India. Our two countries need to work hand in hand if
Asia is to become the anchor of world peace. An Asian century that people expect would not
come if China and India, the two most populous countries in the world, failed to live in harmony
and achieve common development. Asia's future hinges on China and India. If China and India
live in harmony and prosper together, and if our two markets converge, it will be a true blessing
for Asia and the world at large. China's development promises opportunities for India, and India's
development promises opportunities for China. Our common development will benefit people of
the two countries and offer the world more and better opportunities.
(Li Keqiang is Premier of the People's Republic of China)