JOIN USChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is coming to New Delhi as Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping, will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and also visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
This is the first official contact between the two governments after the Lok Sabha elections though Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has already spoken to Modi over phone soon after he was sworn in as prime minister on May 26.
Wang’s visit is to establish political contacts with the new government amid hopes of an upswing in bilateral ties owing to Modi’s familiarity with China.
During the telephone conversation, the Chinese premier had conveyed his government’s desire to establish robust partnership with the Indian government. In turn, Modi had expressed keenness on working closely to deal with any “outstanding issues”. He had also said China was always a “priority” in India’s foreign policy.
Diplomats say the new Chinese leadership is keen to improve ties with India in view of its disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and Vietnam, the Philippines and other neighbours in the South China Sea.