[Global Network Report] According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun and Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, Indian Prime Minister Modi said in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun during his visit to Japan on August 29 local time that it is crucial for India and China to maintain a close following pair to build a multi-polar Asia and the world. The South China Morning Post commented that Modi's remarks released a signal of further warming of India-China relations and were one of the strongest gestures towards China in recent years.

"As the two largest countries in the world, a stable, predictable and friendly bilateral relationship between India and China can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity." Modi said in an interview. "It is also crucial to building a multipolar Asia and the world."

Modi added, ¡°Given the current world economic turmoil, India and China, as the two major economies, are equally vital to work together to bring stability to the world economic order. India is willing to advance bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and mutual understanding, strengthening strategic communication and jointly addressing development challenges.¡±

Mr. Modi's visit to Japan on August 29-30, which will be followed by a trip to Tianjin for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit, is seen as a sign of the continued warming of Sino-Indian relations.