Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on Tuesday said India and China must do everything in their power to strengthen their multi-faceted cooperation and build "new ties" of friendship and partnership as he held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing [Images].

Hu, on his part, congratulated Singh on the success of his "short, but very productive" maiden visit to the country.
"I have come here with the strong belief that our two countries must do everything in their power to strengthen our multi-faceted cooperation, build new ties of friendship and partnership," Singh said in his opening remarks as the two leaders met.

Noting that China and India are today the fastest growing economies, Singh said "at a time when there are considerable uncertainties about the global economy, the strong growth of China and India is a positive public international good for the benefit of Asia and for the world community as a whole."

Hu noted on Monday that Singh had a "productive discussion" with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and they reached a "broad common understanding".

"You two signed a Shared Vision for 21st Century and signed other documents of cooperation between the two countries," Hu said.

Photograph: NG Han Guan/AFP/Getty Images