BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- 

China and India on Monday signed a joint document of their shared vision of accelerating bilateral ties and making joint efforts in contributing to world development.

    The document was signed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was on his first China tour since he assumed office.

    Officials and scholars called the document a milestone for relations between the two countries.

    The seven-page document, "A Shared Vision for the 21st Century of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India", covers extensive fields, both bilateral and multilateral. It touches economy, politics, energy, nuclear, climate change, disarmament, terrorism, religion, regional trade and integrity, defense and border issue.

    China and India "are convinced that it is time to look to the future in building a relationship of friendship and trust, based on equality, in which each is sensitive to the concerns and aspirations of the other," said the document. It reiterates that "China-India friendship and common development will have a positive influence on the future of the international system."

    The two nations believe their bilateral relationship in this century will be of significant regional and global influence. They will therefore continue to build their strategic and cooperative partnership in a positive way.

    Against the backdrop of accelerating regional economic integration in Asia, the two sides agreed to explore the possibility of commencing discussions on a mutually beneficial and high-quality Regional Trading Arrangement (RTA) that meets the common aspirations of both countries, and will also benefit the region.

    China and India will continuously promote confidence-building measures through steadily enhanced contacts in the field of defence, said the document.

    It said the two sides welcomed the commencement of the China-India Defence Dialogue and are satisfied with the successful conclusion of the first joint anti-terrorism training between their armed forces in December.

    On the border issue, the document said the two sides remained firmly committed to resolving outstanding differences, including on the boundary question, through peaceful negotiations, and reiterated their determination to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.

    The special representatives of both nations shall complete at an early date the task of arriving at an agreed framework of settlement on the basis of this agreement, said the document.

    China and India vowed to "bear a significant historical responsibility to ensure comprehensive, balanced and sustainable economic and social development of the two countries and to promote peace and development in Asia and the world as a whole."

    In the document, the two countries pledged to support and encourage the processes of regional integration, welcome the positive facets of economic globalization and to face and meet its challenges. They advocated to establish an international energy order that is fair, equitable, secure and stable, and are committed to making joint efforts to diversify the global energy mix and enhance the share of clean and renewable energy, according to the document.

    The two sides welcomed the opportunity for their outstanding scientists to work together in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. This is of great potential significance in meeting the global energy challenge in an environmentally sustainable manner.