Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday that he hopes to utilize his visit to China to know the new Chinese leadership better and to work with them to consolidate the all round progress in bilateral relations and put them on a firm trajectory of sustained growth.

His remarks came as he kicked off an official visit to China on Tuesday.

In a written interview with Chinese media based in India, the Indian prime minister said during the past nine years that he has been Prime Minister, he has attempted to put India-China relations on a stable growth path.

"Working together with the Chinese leadership, my attempt has been to create a forward looking agenda for our bilateral relations. There has been tremendous increase in our economic exchanges as both India and China themselves have grown and prospered. We have also managed our differences and have kept our border region tranquil. At the same time, we have not allowed our differences to come in the way of expanding our cooperation in diverse areas. Stability and predictability in our relations has proved invaluable as both India and China address their internal priorities, particularly growth and development of 2.5 billion people," he said.

He noted that his last visit to China five years ago came before the onset of the financial crisis and the global economic meltdown. Today, despite the fragile global economic situation, India and China continue to grow.

"I have already had useful meetings with President Xi and Premier Li earlier this year," he noted.

On the prospects of Border Defense Cooperation between China and India and the border talks between special representatives of the two countries, the prime minister said the boundary question between India and China is complex and sensitive and the two countries have established the special representatives mechanism to find a political solution to the boundary question.

"The special representatives have worked hard and arrived at the political parameters and guiding principles for a boundary resolution. In the present stage of their negotiations, they are seeking a framework for a boundary resolution. I support the work done by the special representatives of the two sides. This is not an easy issue and will take time to resolve," he said.

He said both the governments of India and China are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas and this is an important guarantor and a fundamental basis for further progress and growth in bilateral ties.

"The leadership of the two countries is united on this issue. As long as we follow the principles and procedures set out in the Agreements of 1993, 1996 and 2005, expand and improve upon them where necessary to take into account the changing reality of India and China and enhance dialogue and friendly exchanges between our border troops, I am confident that the strategic consensus between leaders will continue to be reflected on the ground," said the prime minister.