Monday, April 11 2005 18:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao today (Apr 11, 2005) called on President A P J Abdul Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and discussed bilateral relations and areas where the two countries could step up cooperation.

During the 40-minute meeting, the two leaders focussed on areas like Information Technology, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and rural development where they stressed the two nations could cooperate, sources said.

Kalam suggested that the two nations could have joint ventures in areas of core competence and export Sino-Indian products to other countries.

Wen, who is here on a four-day visit, told Kalam of his visit to the Indian Institute of Sciences and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bangalore.

Kalam discussed the subject of Providing of Urban amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) in which the Chinese leader evinced keen interest.

They recalled the visits of Chinese scholars like Fa Hien and Huan Tsang to India and the ancient relations that the two countries have had, the sources said.