New Delhi: China and India are not rivals but partners in development, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yan has said, insisting that there was enough space for the two Asian giants to co-exist and prosper together.

"China and India are partners of development instead of rivals. There is enough space for the two countries to grow and prosper together," Zhang said at a reception in his honour by Unity International Foundation here last evening.

"Maybe, there are people who are not quite happy about the current development of our bilateral relations. However, the growth of friendship and cooperation between our two peoples and two countries is a trend of time," he said without mentioning any one in particular.

Evaluating Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent visit to Beijing, Zhang, who took charge of China's mission here three months back, described it as "another milestone" for the two countries.

"It has injected new impetus to the development of our bilateral relations and provided a historical opportunity for our two countries to work together for the betterment of our people and the world as a whole," he said.

China has always attached great importance to the development of Sino-Indian relations, he said adding "we hold that the two countries have more consensus than differences".

"The relationship between China and India has gone well beyond the bilateral context and acquired global and strategic dimension in importance," Zhang said.

He said Beijing is ready to work with New Delhi to create "favourable political conditions, increase mutual trust and seek new ways to expand economic and trade cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits."
Source : PTI