President Li Xiaolin met and held a banquet for the delegation headed by Mr. Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary (East Asia) of Ministry of External Affairs, India at CPAFFC on September 24th. 

Mme Li gave the delegation a warm welcome, and recalled the days of her visit to India this August. She hoped to make joint efforts with the Indian side to have the agreements of the first batch of friendship cities between China and India officially signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''s visit to China in October this year to achieve zero breakthrough of friendship city between China and India.  

Mr. Bambawale expressed sincere thanks to Mme Li for her reception and agreed with her suggestions. He said that it is the first time for India to  attempt friendship city work. He wished to promote exchange and cooperation between Indian cities and Chinese cities as well as cities all over the world through friendship city development with Chinese cities. 

The Ministry of External Affairs of India is now keeping an active contact with relevant Indian cities. The agreements of the first batch of friendship cities between China and India will hopefully be officially signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''s visit to China this year. Mr. Bambawale also present the friendship city agreement drafted by the Indian side to our side.