On June 23, 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Wen gave a positive appraisal of the China-India relations, saying the Chinese government valued its ties with India, and wished to establish a long-term, stable and sound relationship as friendly neighbors and develop reciprocal cooperation. He said that with China-India relations facing important development opportunities, the two countries should enhance their trust and cooperation and bring bilateral ties into a new era.

Wen pointed out that there were favorable conditions for friendly cooperation between China and India. He said that the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence as advocated by both countries had provided a fundamental guarantee for the healthy development of bilateral ties; both countries faced a mounting need to cooperate as both countries were dedicated to domestic economic development; the two countries' need for coordination and cooperation was also increasing, with identical or similar views on many significant international issues.

Wen said that the declaration he and Vajpayee would sign would lay down the goal and guideline principles for the two countries' relations, and outline a plan for comprehensive cooperation in all spheres. The document indicated that China-India bilateral ties had entered a new phase.

Wen raised concrete proposals for the future development of the ties. He said that the two countries should extend contacts to enhance trust and dispel suspicion, expand cooperation to raise bilateral trade volume to 10 billion US dollars by 2005, develop cooperation in science, education, culture and health and set up cultural centers. He said the two countries should also strengthen coordination and safeguard the legitimate interests of developing countries in international affairs, and push forward the process of world multi-polarization and democratization of international relations. He added that the two nations should also maintain friendly ties and attach importance to the issues of bilateral relations left over by history, preventing the issues from undermining the healthy development of Sino-Indian relations.

Wen stressed that it was a historical trend for China and India to promote bilateral ties, stressing that Asia's overall development relied heavily on the healthy development of relations between China and India. He said that China did not regard India's development as a threat, and on the same basis, the development of China would not be a threat to any other countries. Wen noted that China was fully committed to establish a new type of relationship with India based on the long-term constructive cooperative partnership. He believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, Sino-Indian ties would be further developed in the new century.

Wen outlined his views on the international situation to the Indian guest. On the situation of South Asia, Wen said that South Asia was an important part of Asia and China welcomed equal treatment and peaceful coexistence among South Asian nations. He noted that China hoped to see the further relaxation of relations between India and Pakistan and supported efforts to ease tensions and safeguard peace between the two countries. He pointed out that China would never seek to push its private interests in South Asia affairs, and the friendly cooperation established among China and South Asian countries would never target any other country, promising China would continue its role as a constructive player in promoting peace and development in south Asia.

Vajpayee said that peoples of China and India, as close neighbors, had a long tradition of exchanges and contacts, and both countries were populous and developing countries. He said that the Indian government attached importance to the development of relations with China and hoped to promote understanding and mutual trust and cooperation through the visit, and maintain and strengthen the good momentum of the bilateral relations in recent years.

Vajpayee appreciated the proposals of Premier Wen on developing bilateral ties. He said that India would like to work with China to show the peoples of the two countries and the international community the determination of tapping potentials for developing relations between the two countries, and pushing forward the cooperation in the fields of politics, economy and trade, education, finance and military. He also expressed the willingness to strengthen the coordination of the two countries in the international affairs and contribute to the stability and development of the region and the world at large.

Vajpayee briefed Wen on the view of the Indian government on Asian, especially South Asian, situations. He stressed that India hoped to maintain stability in South Asia and was committed to promoting regional cooperation in South Asia. Vajpayee also expressed appreciation for the role China had played in the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).