NEW DELHI, Aug 17:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to India beginning Monday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The meeting, to be held on Tuesday, assumes significance as it is taking place days before Modi’s planned trip to China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Before calling on the Prime Minister, Wang will hold separate talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that could see both sides deliberate on a range of key issues including border situation, trade and resumption of flight services.
The Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit is largely seen as part of ongoing efforts by the two neighbours to rebuild their relationship after it came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
The two sides are expected to discuss new confidence-building measures for durable peace and tranquillity along their contested border during Wang’s visit, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
Wang’s trip is also seen as important as it comes amid increasing tensions in India-US relations following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent that included an additional penalty of 25 per cent for purchasing Russian crude oil.
According to details released by the MEA, the Chinese foreign minister will land in New Delhi at around 4:15 pm on Monday. He will meet Jaishankar for bilateral talks at around 6 pm.
Wang and NSA Doval are scheduled to hold a new edition of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question at 11 am on Tuesday.
According to the MEA, Wang will call on PM Modi at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence at 5:30 pm on Tuesday.
The Chinese Foreign Minister will be in India primarily to hold the 24th round of SR dialogue with NSA Doval.
Wang and Doval are the designated special representatives for the boundary talks.
Both sides are expected to deliberate on new confidence-building measures besides reviewing the overall situation along the Line of Actual Control, the people cited above said.(PTI)
Though the two sides disengaged troops from the friction points, they are yet to de-escalate the situation by pulling back the frontline forces from the border.
Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the eastern Ladakh region.
The Chinese Foreign Minister will also meet External Affairs Minister Jaishankar.
It is learnt that the two sides will also use the opportunity to lay the ground for Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China to attend the annual summit of the SCO to be held on August 31 and September 1.
As per the plan, the Prime Minister will embark on a visit to Japan around August 29 and after concluding the trip, he will travel to the northern Chinese city of Tianjin for the SCO summit.
Modi’s visit to China is being planned amid efforts by the two sides to repair their bilateral ties which came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
