Friday, June 16 2006 14:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Shanghai: Sino-Indian relations have entered a 'new phase' and Beijing is committed to forging long-term strategic cooperative partnership with New Delhi, President Hu Jintao said here today (June16, 2006).

"This is an established policy of the Chinese government," Hu said during a meeting with Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora here on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here in the eastern Chinese metropolis.

The relationship between China and India has entered a new phase as the two countries announced last year to forge a strategic cooperative partnership, Hu was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

This year is a Year of Friendship between China and India, and the two countries will hold a series of activities to enhance bilateral friendship and reciprocal cooperation, Hu, also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), said.

"I believe, with the joint efforts of our two sides, the relations between China and India will keep upgrading," Hu said.

Deora, who is in China for the SCO summit as a representative of the Indian government, conveyed Indian leaders' congratulations to China on the successful summit which ended yesterday.

He said the relations between India and China have developed smoothly over the years and bilateral economic and trade cooperation is also growing rapidly.