In the first high-level interaction with the new dispensation here, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Sunday held talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in key areas including trade and investment.
Wang, who is special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in the wee hours to establish political contacts with the new Indian government amid hopes of an upswing in bilateral ties due to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s familiarity with China.
Both Wang and Swaraj were assisted by their delegations which comprised of senior officials from the foreign ministry.
During his two-day visit, he will call on President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi on Monday. Wang will also be meeting leading Indian officials and will have in-depth exchanges on how to push forward bilateral relations.
Foreign policy expert Ranjit Gupta said the visit was a “good augury”.
“China has gone all out to woo the new Indian government, which is a great gesture,” Gupta, a member of the Indian Security Advisory Council of the
US-India Institute, a Washington-based think tank, said.
“India and China are emerging global powers and with better relations, India will hopefully resume its growth path and reclaim its position in Asia.”
China is India’s biggest trading partner, with two-way commerce totaling close to $70 billion. But India’s trade deficit with China has soared to over $40 billion from just $1 billion in 2001-02, Indian figures show.
Experts say Modi must bridge the deficit by seeking greater access to the
Chinese market, with the two sides targeting annual bilateral trade of $100
billion by 2015.
Modi warned China to shed its “expansionist mindset” at an election rally earlier this year. China hit back, saying it “never waged a war of aggression to occupy any inch of land of other countries”.
The nuclear-armed nations, both with one-billion-plus populations, are expected to focus on economic ties and border issues during Wang’s visit, following a territorial flare-up in April 2013.
India accused Chinese troops of intruding nearly 20 kilometres (12 miles) into Indian-claimed territory, triggering a three-week standoff that was resolved when forces from both sides pulled back.
The border between China and India has never been formally demarcated, although they have signed accords to maintain peace.
