The first China-India Forum, organized by the China-India Friendship Association and Guangdong Xinfu School & Culture Development Ltd., was held at The Presidential Beijing from May 30 to 31.

During the two-day forum, around 100 officials and scholars from the two countries in different spheres agreed that China and India, as the new engines of the world economy, should not only compete like a dragon and an elephant, but also dance together well.

The dragon usually refers to China while the elephant signifies India.

Aimed at examining the merits and faults in the development of both countries and enhancing mutual understanding, the forum mainly discussed how to boost cooperation between the two Asian giants.

"China and India have created splendid cultures and made indelible contributions to human progress," Feng Zuoku, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said at the start of the forum. "And the people of India and China started cultural exchanges and trade centuries ago."

Feng said that as the rapid development in China and India made them the focus of world attention in recent years, the relationship between the two countries has also become closer.

"Bilateral trade volume hit $51.78 billion in 2008, making China India's top trading partner," he said. "We have made many breakthroughs in military and security cooperation as well."

He also pointed out the huge potential that China and India have for future cooperation on information technology, culture, education, finance, science and counterterrorism.

With regard to the global financial crisis, Feng said it was important for the two countries to work together to tackle the economic downturn.

"The China-India relationship has a long history and will continue to move forward," said Nirupama Rao, India's Ambassador to China.

"Both of our leaders have had a lot of discussion about how to maintain a good relationship," she said, noting Deng Xiaoping's 1988 visit to India during which he told Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, "Let our two countries face the future together."

Rao, India's first female ambassador to China, said the India-China relationship, which encompasses two fifths of the world's population, is relevant to every developing nations. "The relationship between these two countries, which are on the fast track of economic and social development in the world, is the most significant one today," she said.

She stressed "speed" and "change" to describe the development of China-India relations in recent years. "The relationship has entered a phase of growth and expansion, on various issues from culture and the economy to political and military cooperation."

"The tree of China-India relations is like the tree of life in Buddhism. It will grow as long as it is nourished by the development and progress of both countries," Rao said. "I hope both Chinese and Indian people treat the tree with the best care, because the fruit of this tree could benefit the two countries a lot."

Cheng Ruisheng, the former Chinese ambassador to India, said in his report that China should learn from India in many areas, including the service industry and IT industry.

"Cooperation between China and India will turn to be 'shoulder to shoulder' or even 'face to face' from 'back to back,'" Professor Sun Shihai, from the Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the forum.

Some participants shared their experience and stories in India at the forum as well.

Xin Lijian, Chairman of Xinfu School & Culture Development Ltd., described India as "a placid place," which he believed was because of the country's long history of religious belief. "We could not only see motorbikes and cars, but also dogs, bulls and camels wandering on the road, which was inconceivable for us. However, what we felt was only a kind of harmony rather than chaos."

(Translated by LIU FANGFEI)