India and China should have effective relationship: US

WASHINGTON: Acknowledging that India and China will influence world events in the coming decades, the US today said the two Asian giants should have an "effective relationship."

Hours before the Prime Ministers of India and China were to hold dialogue in New Delhi, State Department spokesman P J Crowley said the US is looking forward to hearing the results of the meeting.

"This is a world with rising powers who are taking on broader responsibilities. China is one such country. India is another such country. They are also neighbours," he said.

"So we certainly recognise that these two countries that are going to influence world events in the coming decades should have an effective relationship," Crowley told reporters at his daily news briefing.

He hoped that the US would get a chance to listen from Chinese President Hu Jintao during his visit next month here about the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.

Wen is in India on a three-day visit to promote friendship and expand cooperation between the two countries which have seen comprehensive and rapid progress.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the exact dates of the State visit of the Chinese President would be announced in a couple of days.