On May 20, 2013, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council met with Hamid Ansari, Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha of India, in New Delhi.
Li Keqiang conveyed the greetings from Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), to Ansari. Li said that with China and India being each other's important close neighbors and the two largest developing countries, the people of the two countries have strong aspiration for enhancing mutual understanding and friendship. It is for the benefit of both sides as well as Asia and the world to keep close, substantial and well-developed relations between the two countries. China is ready to work with India to strengthen strategic mutual trust, to deepen practical cooperation and to expand people-to-people exchanges, so that they can accomplish common development in harmonious coexistence and mutual learning.
Li Keqiang stressed that parliamentary exchanges are an important bridge for bilateral communication as well as an important channel to expand exchanges between the two peoples. China will continue attaching great importance to the strengthened friendly exchanges between the parliaments of the two countries, to continuously consolidate and carry forward China-India friendship.
Ansari delivered his regards to the Chinese leaders. Ansari said that the whole Indian society is now paying close attention to Li Keqiang's visit. Li has fully exchanged views with the Indian leaders on issues of common concern and the two countries have also issued a very good joint statement, charting the course for direction of cooperation in all areas. It can be said that Li’s visit has already achieved a complete success. The Indian side is willing to work with the Chinese side to carry out the agreements reached by both sides, to promote parliamentary exchanges, to make bilateral relations and the cooperation in all areas keep pace with the development of the 21st century and to build a better future for the two countries and two peoples.
On the same day, Li Keqiang met with Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and MP for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Li Keqiang spoke highly of the positive contributions to the development of China-India relations made by all political parties of India, including the BJP. He expressed that the Chinese side is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with all political parties in India so as to rally more consensuses and strength for deepening bilateral friendly relations.
Swaraj thanked Li Keqiang for meeting with him, expressing that all political parties of India, both in power and opposition, as well as the Indian people, share the consensus on developing relations with China and they are all glad to see India-China relations grow stronger. The Indian side hopes to maintain and develop peaceful, stable and friendly relations with China. The BJP is looking forward to enhancing exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side to push forward the relations between the two countries and the two parties.