Singh urges stronger ties

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks on "India and China in the New Era" at the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on Thursday. ZHANG YONG / FOR CHINA DAILY

Economic links 'key to development of China and India'

India must further strengthen economic cooperation with China for the sake of the two major emerging economies' development, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in Beijing on Thursday.

Singh made the remarks in a speech at the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China.

Singh said he believes his audience at the school will play decisive roles in shaping China's development and will have a significant influence on the world.

"I believe that our two countries not only share a common destiny, but that we have unlimited possibilities for closer cooperation," he said. The most dynamic part of the two countries' relationship is in the economic sector, he added.

China has emerged as India's biggest trading partner, with two-way commerce totaling $67.83 billion in fiscal 2012, up from $2.1 billion a decade ago.

Singh singled out several areas in which he sees opportunities for more cooperation - infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, the environment, and food and energy security.

Sun Shihai, an Indian studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Singh's suggestions are practical.

"India can take advantage of Chinese manufacturing and agriculture, and I believe Chinese investment in those sectors can make a profit in the Indian market," Sun said.

China and India are the most populous developing countries and they both have a strong demand for energy and resources. Sun said they could cooperate more on overseas oil exploration, which could lower the amount they pay for imported oil.