Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.s2.t5.3

v2.c14.s2.t5.3

From December 11-16, 1991, Li Peng, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, was invited to visit India. It was not only the first visit of Chinese premier to India since 1960 but also a return visit of the visit of Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, to China in 1988. During the visit, Li Peng met Narasimha Rao, Indian Prime Minister, Ramaswamy Venkataraman, Indian President, and Shankar Dayal Sharma, Indian Vice President, with whom he exchanged opinions on India-China relations and major international and regional issues. Both sides signed the five agreements on consuls, border trade and technical cooperation and published the Joint Communiqué of China and India to reiterate the two countries’ hope to keep on developing the neighbourly and friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation relations between the two countries and reach a solution to border issues by negotiation as soon as possible on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. This visit promoted the comprehensive improvement and development of India-China relations, further enhanced mutual understanding and friendship and played an important role in building the constructive cooperative partnership between both sides.