India-China trade crosses $11.4 b in first 4 months

Trade between India and China has risen 56.8 per cent in the first four months of this year (2007), and has crossed $11.4 billion, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Shiv Shankar Menon, said. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the developments in the bilateral relations since the two leaders met in New Delhi in November 2006. Mr Menon quoted the Chinese President as saying that the relationship had reached the stage of fast-track growth. The two countries discussed their respective positions on climate change, an issue on which they, as some of the fastest growing consumers of energy, are expected to be under pressure when they meet the G-8 on June 8. The US President, Mr George Bush, gave enough hints of this when he said that India and China need to be part of any global discussions on setting targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.