Beijing: China's official media today (Oct 31) commented that Sino-Indian relations seems to have taken a turn for the better after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Beijing with both sides discounting the mutual threat perception.

"Sino-Indian relationship has gained momentum since Prime Minister Vajpayee's official visit to Beijing last June. More and more officials, scholars and diplomats have come to know more about China and realised that China, although economically powerful, is no threat to India," Xinhua news agency said in a commentary.

"With the cool and best season coming to China and India in October, the relationship between the two neighbouring countries seems also to turn for the better," it commented while acknowledging a number of positive statements made by top Indian leaders on bilateral ties.

It noted that Defence Minister George Fernandes has announced that Indian and Chinese Navies will come together for the first time to conduct joint exercises in the middle of November.

"China wants to be friendly with India and I believe that if someone wants to be friendly with us, we should stretch our hands," it quoted Fernandes as saying.

PTI