Naidu invited to visit China

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 2. A Chinese Communist Party delegation headed by Mr. Dai Bingguo, has invited the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, to visit China.

Mr. Dai Bingguo said, ``There is tremendous growth in Andhra Pradesh, and with the reforms taken up in various sectors, it has turned into a role model for other States. The resounding success achieved in the Information Technology sector by the State has turned Andhra Pradesh into a trendsetter, worthy of emulation by every nation in the world.'' This was stated in a press note issued by the Chief Minister's Office here.

The delegation called on the Chief Minister at his residence. Mr. Naidu explained the various developmental activities in the State, including the empowerment of women. Mr. Dai Bingguo called for better ties between India and China. The Union Ministers, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya and Mr. Ch.Vidyasagar Rao, and the Indian Ambassador in Beijing, Mr. V. K. Nambiar, were also present at the meeting.

The delegation stressed the need for better neighbourly relations with India, saying Beijing considered a long-term mutually beneficial relationship with Delhi as a strategic principle.

Before meeting the Chief Minister, the team, which included three Central Ministers, had an interaction session with the top brass of the BJP State unit. Mr. Dai Bingguo said China would never forget that India was among the first non-socialist countries to recognise New China and establish diplomatic relations with it. It could also ill-afford to ignore that India and China co- sponsored Panchsheel, a principle of peaceful co-existence accepted by the whole world.

Recalling that this was the second visit of a CPC delegation to India at the BJP's invitation, he explained that the Communist Party of China wanted to build friendly relations with all major political parties in India.

Such party-to-party relationship was an integral part of improving friendship between the two nations. Further, exchanges would help the two developing countries build a `just and rational' international economic order.

Emphasising that the sine qua non of any political party was development of the economy and improving living standards of its people, he said nations could concentrate on these efforts only in an atmosphere of peace and good relations with neighbours.

Mr. Bingguo extended an invitation to BJP leaders from Andhra Pradesh to visit China. He said he was impressed by the high level of information technology in use in Hyderabad and convinced that his visit to India would not have been complete without coming here.

Earlier, the Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya, hosted a lunch in honour of the delegation.The Union Ministers, Mr. Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, the former BJP State president, Mr. V. Rama Rao, several party functionaries and MLAs attended the meeting.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Regional
Next     : Trade unions resent CM's 'remarks'