Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a state visit as the honored guest of Indian President Abdul Kalam. This is the first visit to India by a Chinese head of state in 10 years. 

In a written statement delivered upon his arrival, Hu said China and India were close neighbors, and that friendly exchanges between the two peoples stretched back to ancient times.
   
In recent years, he said, China-India relations had established a sound momentum of unilateral growth, marked by strengthened political trust, expanded beneficial cooperation, broadened friendly exchanges and good coordination in international and regional affairs.
   
Both China and India were large developing countries, and friendly relations between China and India benefited the two peoples and contributed to peace and development in Asia and beyond, Hu stated.
   
He added the nature of this visit was to enhance friendship, increase mutual trust, strengthen cooperation and chart the course for future relations. Hu looked forward to in-depth discussions with Indian leaders and public representatives on bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.
   
India is the third leg of Hu's four-nation tour, which has already taken him to Vietnam and Laos, and will also take him to Pakistan.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2006)