State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Wednesday called for enhanced cooperation between China and India as the two nations celebrated the completion of their "year of exchange."

"The peaceful development of relations between China and India generates opportunities not only for the two nations, but also for the whole world," Dai said as he visited India's embassy in Beijing to mark the successful completion of the China-India Year of Exchange-2011.

A series of people-to-people exchanges were held during the year to increase mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

Dai said the China-India Year of Exchange, initiated by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, served as a good start for bilateral relations in the second decade of the 21st century and played an important role to advance the ties between the two countries.

"Today's world is undergoing profound and complex changes," said the state councilor, adding that the two nations thus should work together even more closely for further development, "which is also conducive to the peace, stability and development of the world."

The two sides should follow the historical trend of peace and development, and enhance their communication and expand their cooperation, keeping in mind the welfare of the people of the two countries and the overall situation of the bilateral ties, to develop the China-India strategic and cooperative partnership, he added.