Chinese President Hu Jintao met in New Delhi yesterday with leaders of the Indian Left parties.

Hu spoke highly of the positive contributions to Sino-Indian friendship and development of bilateral relations made in the past years by the leaders that include Prakash Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan of the Communist Party of India and Debabrata Biswas of the All India Forward Bloc.

Hu said both sides should learn from each other and join hands in cooperation for common development.

He said the Communist Party of China (CPC), China's ruling party, has kept close exchanges with the Indian Left parties, which constituted an important component of bilateral relationship.

Hu said the CPC will expand exchanges with these parties and hoped the Indian parties will continue to play a positive role in promoting bilateral relations.

Leaders of these parties said Hu's current fruitful visit to India has made important contributions to strengthening bilateral relations and it will be a new milestone in the development of bilateral relations.

They hold that India-China relations are cooperative and complementary, not competitive.

They said their parties are dedicated to promoting close relations between the two countries and will strengthen exchanges with the CPC.

Hu started his state visit to India on Monday as guest of Indian President Abdul Kalam.

This is the first visit to India by a Chinese head of state in 10 years.

India is the third leg of Hu's four-nation tour, which has already taken him to Vietnam and Laos, and will also take him to Pakistan.

He also attended the 14th APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders' Meeting from Nov. 17 to 19 in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.