'Integrate' Chinese tech with India: Li

Indian railway construction is expected to showcase China-India cooperation, officials said, as the two nations singled out highlights from a recent economic forum in Beijing.

The one-day China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue on Tuesday saw the world's two most-populous nations hammering out blueprints for their future cooperation.

The two governments signed memorandums and agreements on sustainable urbanization, information technology and the energy sector, Xinhua reported.

The construction and upgrading of the Sino-Indian railway was especially emphasized at the meeting, which was presided over by Xu Shaoshi, chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission, and Montek Singh Ahluwalia, vice-chairman of the Planning Commission of India.

"We have to integrate our technologies of high-speed railways and energy equipment with the Indian market as a breakthrough in Sino-Indian cooperation," Premier Li Keqiang said during a meeting with Ahluwalia on Wednesday.

"We are willing to work with India to reinforce political trust and deepen all-around cooperation," he said.

China has surpassed the United Arab Emirates and the United States to become India's top trading partner this year, Indian media reported.

But the reduction of Indian iron ore production has dampened bilateral trade in recent years. Bilateral trade volume decreased by nearly 4.7 percent, standing at $48.5 billion from January to September last year, according to the General Administration of Customs.

China and India have a combined 2.5 billion people, a "unique advantage" that Li stressed during the meeting, and urged the two countries to make use of that advantage in the future.

"China and India have a lot of experience to share and similar missions to accomplish, as both countries are under the same pressure to balance reform, sustain development and protect the environment," Li said.

Ahluwalia described the two neighbors as "facing rare opportunities of cooperation", and India will provide encouragement for Chinese companies to invest in India.

Yang Xueshan, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said during the forum that information technology is another major area of cooperation.

China is willing to encourage Chinese companies to invest in Indian industrial parks to produce personal computers, Internet equipments, cellphones and televisions, he said.

"We also suggest the two countries set up a communication mechanism between governments, enterprises and social groups," he said.

zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn