Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China would provide both nations an opportunity to put aside their differences, seek common ground and further step up bilateral ties, a veteran Chinese media expert has said.

"The upcoming visit by Prime Minister Vajpayee would be a historical progress in our bilateral ties," said Shao Huaze, president of the  All-China Journalists Association and editor-in-chief and president of the People's Daily, the leading Chinese official newspaper.

Vajpayee will visit China from June 22-27 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

"We have had some disputes in the 1960s and differences in the past. Now the time has come to put aside the differences and look to the future so as to further step up our good neighbourly relations based on the five principles of peaceful co-existence, which we jointly enunciated in the 50s," said Shao, who was in India recently as a guest of the external affairs ministry.

"I am sure Prime Minister Vajpayee's upcoming visit will be a significant milestone in our bilateral ties and would provide further impetus to all round development in the new century," said Shao, who has an exclusive photo album on India to his credit.

Shao's photographs were first exhibited at a function organised by the Indian embassy in Beijing to mark India's Republic Day this year.

In his preface to the album, Indian Ambassador to China Shiv Shankar Menon noted that as two great neighbours and as inheritors of continuous civilisational traditions, India and China are today increasing understanding and building a forward-looking relationship.

"This book will contribute to increased mutual appreciation between the peoples of our two countries."

PM's visit to China: Complete Coverage