BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to South Asia has met the desired targets of "promoting mutual trust, deepening friendship, widening cooperation and making plans for the future," Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Tuesday.

    Earlier in the day, Wen came back to Beijing after a highly successful visit to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.

    This tour is an important foreign affair for China on South Asia, said Li, who accompanied Wen on the eight-day visit.

    During the official visit to the four countries since last Tuesday, Wen toured big cities, held talks and given lectures on different occasions, Li said.

    The visit will have a deep influence on the promotion of all-round friendly cooperation and bring substantial benefits for the people of China and South Asia, the minister noted.

    During his visit to India, Wen exchanged views with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the border issue in a frank and cooperative manner resulting in a formal agreement signed by the two leaders concerning solving the historic issue.

    The agreement covered confidence-building measures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the nearly 3,400-km ceasefire line within the border area of the two neighboring countries.     

    Being the first official document on the border issue in more than 20 years, the agreement has laid a foundation for peaceful negotiations and solving the border problems fairly and reasonably in the future. The agreement reflects China's sincerity to be a good neighbor and goodwill to prosper with its neighboring countries. It will also help the South Asian countries and China to boost mutual confidence, extend cooperation, build peace, create a friendly and harmonious environment together.

    Premier Wen also discussed a series of new ways and methods to explore bilateral cooperation with South Asian country leaders during his visit to the region. Over 50 documents were signed and most of them are related to economic and trade cooperation. According to the agreements, economic cooperation between China and South Asian countries will be greatly expanded, convenient measures for investment be strengthened, and the building of autonomous business zones be quickened.

    During Wen's visit, China and India agreed to establish a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity between the two countries; China and Pakistan decided to enhance their strategic and cooperative partnership; China and Bangladesh agreed to establish a long-term and friendly partnership; China and Sri Lanka decided to build an all-out and cooperative partnership.

    China and the four South Asian nations spoke highly of the development of bilateral relations and expressed confidence in further promoting the ties based on mutual benefit and cooperation, said Li.

    The visit also marked that friendly cooperation between China and South Asian countries has entered into a new phase, noted Li.

    He also expressed his belief that friendly relations between China and South Asian nations will be more solid and cooperation in various fields more effective, adding that closer ties will benefit the peoples and peace and development in the region and the world as a whole. Enditem