Xi calls for joint efforts in building stronger BRICS partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ufa, Russia, July 8, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

UFA, Russia - China and India should work together to build a closer, more comprehensive and firmer partnership among the BRICS countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Ufa Wednesday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the southwestern Russian city of Ufa ahead of two multilateral summits.

The Chinese president recalled his meeting with Modi in May in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an, where the two leaders reached important consensuses on enriching the bilateral strategic partnership and forging a closer partnership of development.

The meeting sent positive signals to the two peoples and the international community that the two major developing nations are committed to cooperating for common development, said Xi.

Thanks to joint efforts of both sides, the agreements reached back then are now being translated into steady progress in bilateral cooperation in such areas as parliamentary exchanges, railway, industrial parks and smart city, Xi said.

The president called on the two countries to make concerted efforts to maintain the positive momentum in the development of bilateral ties and open new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi said the two countries should maintain high-level contact, strengthen multi-level strategic communication, complete feasibility study on major cooperation projects as scheduled and build flagship bilateral cooperation projects.

He suggested the two sides solidly implement the China-India cultural exchange program and beef up think-tank, media and local-level cooperation.

On border issues, Xi called on the two sides to properly manage and control their differences and jointly safeguard peace and security in the border areas.

China and India should make joint efforts to push forward the development of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor, said Xi.

He also proposed to explore ways to effectively connect China's Belt and Road initiative with India's relevant development plans, in a bid to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation and common development.