By Li Hongmei

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in India, where the two are expected to talk trade relationships and border issues.

One of the issues in their discussions on Sunday was the importance of making bilateral trade more of a two-way street.

Both leaders expressed the hope to forge greater economic ties. China has quickly become India's largest trading partner, with two-way trade up to US$75 billion in 2011 from US$5 billion in 2002.

On the second leg of his India journey, Li will also travel to Mumbai. Officials said Li will attend a meeting with business leaders and visit a Tata Consultancy Services facility. He will also meet family members of late Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis, an Indian physician who went to China to provide medical assistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1938.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the world's two most populous neighboring countries will likely tackle the thorny issue of the disputed Ladakh region, which flared up again in April when a face-off occurred between Chinese and Indian troops.
 
"We have a number of mechanisms available to us for resolving the boundary question," said China's Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao. "Through concerted efforts of the two sides, we have made constant progress in addressing the issue, and peace and tranquility in border areas has been maintained."

Li Keqiang's decision to make India his first stop has also made a good impression on India's government. 

"We think very highly of this gesture because it is our view that high-level political exchanges between our two countries are an important aspect and vehicle for our expanded cooperation," said India's external affairs ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.

Li is on his first foreign trip since taking office, and will also be making stops in Pakistan, Switzerland and Germany.