Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Sanya, Hainan province on the sidelines of the 3rd BRICS summit on Wednesday afternoon,?April 13, 2011. [Photo by Wu Zhiyi/chinadaily.com.cn]

Sanya – Exchanges of views are important to keep up the steady relationship between China and India, as Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh indicated in their opening remarks during their meeting on the sidelines of the third BRICS Summit in Sanya, the sea resort city of Hainan province.

Related readings:  India wants to be a more productive BRICS partner

During their meeting, they'd explore "issues of common interest", Hu said in his opening remarks, adding that China regards Singh as "an old friend".

Recalling their previous meetings last year at the second BRIC summit in Brasilia and G20 summit in Seoul, Singh said: "Exchanges of views are very satisfying."

He said he is in Sanya to "reaffirm that strategic and cooperative partnership that we have with China is something which is very dear to us. We are very keen in intensifying (the partnership) in every possible way."

China is India's largest trade partner. Bilateral trade leapt to $61.8 billion last year from $18.7 billion in 2005.

BRICS is a grouping acronym that refers to the countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.