On June 7, 2007, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo met with a delegation of 100 young people from India headed by Indian Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Dai expressed warm welcome for the delegation's visit. He said China-India friendly exchanges go back to ancient times. With the joint efforts of both sides, the development of bilateral relations has entered a "fast track" in recent years. During President Hu Jintao's visit to India in 2006, the leaders of the two countries made decisions of strategic significance on strengthening youth exchanges between the two countries, part of which is to invite 500 Indian youth to visit China within five years. Youth is the future of the two countries and of their bilateral relations, said Dai, expressing hope that the young people of the two countries will strive to promote the friendly cooperative relations between both sides so as to help maintain their friendship for generations.

Dai said China, like India, remains a developing nation. China still has a long way to go despite its enormous achievements of development since the adoption of reform and opening up policy 30 years ago. Meanwhile, China is also a country that is willing to develop friendly cooperation with India in seeking common prosperity. Closer cooperation between the two countries is conducive to regional and world peace and stability, said Dai, adding that China is also a nation committed to building harmonious society and to pushing for the construction of a harmonious world. China is ready to learn experience from all other countries in the world including India for self-improvement, he added.

Aiyar and other delegation members thanked for China's warm hospitality. Aiyar said he had visited China many times over the past four decades, witnessing with his own eyes the great changes in the country. India and China, both developing rapidly, are committed to the development of strategic cooperative partnership oriented towards peace and prosperity, he said. Youth exchanges will become a sound basis for bilateral ties, he added, expressing hope that the youth of the two countries will face the future and push bilateral ties for continuous progress. This is the first delegation of 100 young people from India, which is visiting China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao. Aiyar said he looked forward to a visit to India by the Chinese youth delegation in November this year.

The delegation members, including Indian young government officials, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, social workers and college students, said they were delighted to be able to visit such a great country as China, expressing hope that this visit will help them learn more about China's status quo. They also hoped to exchange experience with their Chinese counterparts to push for cooperation in all areas and promote the development of the two countries and of bilateral ties.