Chinese FM Wang Yi arrives in India to meet key leaders

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi landed in New Delhi today for a two-day official visit, during which he will hold the next round of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced Wang’s arrival on X, writing: ‘Welcome to FM Mr. Wang Yi of China as he arrives in New Delhi on an official visit. Important engagements of the India-China Special Representatives and on bilateral relations over the next two days.’

Beijing has said the visit is aimed at building on the consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi last year. ‘China is willing to take the opportunity of Wang’s visit to work together with the Indian side in implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-India relations,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing.

According to officials, the meetings are expected to cover a range of issues including the boundary situation, trade, and the possible resumption of flight services.

On Tuesday, Wang will hold discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and also call on Prime Minister Modi. The meeting comes ahead of Modi’s visit to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin — his first since the 2020 Galwan clash that severely strained ties between the two countries.

The breakthrough for this round of dialogue followed an agreement earlier this year between India and China on patrolling along the 3,500-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), aimed at easing the four-year-long border standoff.

High-level exchanges between the two countries have resumed in recent months. In July, EAM Jaishankar visited China to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tianjin and held bilateral talks with Wang Yi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval also visited China in June for SCO-related meetings, where they raised concerns over terrorism and called for dismantling terror networks like LeT and JeM.

- Agencies