<p> Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Wednesday met China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang, who is expected to succeed Premier Wen Jiabao next year, and discussed a host of bilateral issues.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Krishna and Li met in the Great Hall of the People on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). <br /><br />They reviewed trust-building initiatives sealed in March, including the proposal for a maritime dialogue, the border mechanism and intensification of economic and trade ties.<br />"It is an opportunity to enhance cooperation under the SCO but also bilaterally," Li said after shaking hands with Krishna.<br /><br />Krishna said before the two sat down for talks: "This is my second visit to China. When the Chinese president came to India for BRICS, 2012 was declared the year of India-China friendship.<br /><br />"I am overwhelmingly impressed by the amount of progress I see every time I visit Beijing," added Krishna.<br /><br />The meeting marks a series of engagements for India to get an insight into the thinking of the next generation of Chinese leadership which will take charge after a leadership succession later this year.<br /><br />Li is expected to carry forward the upswing in bilateral ties witnessed during the tenure of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen.<br /><br />In January 2013, Hu will make way for Xi Jinping, China's current vice-president, and Li will succeed Wen.<br /><br />President Pratibha Patil met Xi in China in 2010.</p>
<p> Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Wednesday met China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang, who is expected to succeed Premier Wen Jiabao next year, and discussed a host of bilateral issues.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Krishna and Li met in the Great Hall of the People on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). <br /><br />They reviewed trust-building initiatives sealed in March, including the proposal for a maritime dialogue, the border mechanism and intensification of economic and trade ties.<br />"It is an opportunity to enhance cooperation under the SCO but also bilaterally," Li said after shaking hands with Krishna.<br /><br />Krishna said before the two sat down for talks: "This is my second visit to China. When the Chinese president came to India for BRICS, 2012 was declared the year of India-China friendship.<br /><br />"I am overwhelmingly impressed by the amount of progress I see every time I visit Beijing," added Krishna.<br /><br />The meeting marks a series of engagements for India to get an insight into the thinking of the next generation of Chinese leadership which will take charge after a leadership succession later this year.<br /><br />Li is expected to carry forward the upswing in bilateral ties witnessed during the tenure of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen.<br /><br />In January 2013, Hu will make way for Xi Jinping, China's current vice-president, and Li will succeed Wen.<br /><br />President Pratibha Patil met Xi in China in 2010.</p>