China hopes the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will serve as a new platform for strengthening bilateral cooperation with India, President Hu Jintao said Monday, as he met with Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh in the Kazakh capital of Astana.  

Hu, who is here on a state visit to Kazakhstan and will also attend the fifth SCO summit on Tuesday, said China is ready to work closely with India, which will soon become a SCO observer, and make joint efforts to strengthen the SCO and promote regional cooperation.

Relations between China and India are facing a historic opportunity for development and the two countries should seize the opportunity to increase mutually beneficial cooperation, further promote good-neighborly relations and friendship, and continue to enrich the contents of the bilateral strategic partnership.

Singh, who is here as representative of the Indian prime minister for the SCO summit, said India is pleased to become a SCO observer and would like to make its due contributions to the organization's development.

India is willing to further expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation with China, the foreign minister said.

Hu arrived here on Sunday afternoon from Russia. He will also travel to Britain for the G8+5 summit scheduled for July 7.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2005)