Today, the celebration ceremony of the China-India Friendship Year & launching ceremony of the Important Documents on Relations Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India was held in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. About one hundred delegates from the foreign ministry, related ministries and commissions, China-India friendship organizations, academic institutions, news agencies as well as diplomats of the Indian embassy in China attended the event. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Indian Ambassador to China Surie addressed the ceremony respectively.

In his speech, Foreign Minister Li reviewed the time-honored friendship between the Chinese and the Indian people and made positive comments on the long-term progress of China-India relations over the past 56 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Last year China and India announced the establishment of a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity, pushing the bilateral relations to a new stage and creating important opportunities for development. China and India declared the year 2006 as the "Year of China-India Friendship", demonstrating the common aspiration of strengthening friendship and expanding cooperation of the two governments and their people. The two countries will hold a series of celebrations to carry on the traditional friendship and broaden the mutually beneficial cooperation. Publishing the Important Documents on Relations Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India is one of the major activities of China-India Friendship Year, noted Li. He indicated expectation that China and India join hands in the new century to create a promising future for both countries and make great contributions to the peace, stability and development of Asia and the world at large.

Ambassador Surie in his speech said that to push forward India-China friendship reflects the common aspiration of the two peoples and complies with the long-term interest of both countries. The joint celebrations of the "Friendship Year" will help reinforce the bilateral traditional friendship and deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields.

In April 2005, during his visit to India Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh designated the year 2006 as the China-India Friendship Year. Currently various celebrations are being held orderly. The Important Documents on Relations Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India collects 25 important bilateral statements, declarations and agreements since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and is published in Chinese and English versions.