India, China take big leap to boost trade ties

He said that as part of high level exchanges, nearly half a dozen meetings at the level of president, vice president, prime minister and external affairs minister are likely to take place between the two countries during this year.  

He said the two leaders agreed to respect the sensitivities and aspirations of their people as essential for expansion of bilateral relations. Akbaruddin said there was also a discussion on people to people exchanges like Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the project about the Encyclopedia of India-China Cultural Contacts. 

The two leaders also discussed several issues of regional and international importance during the meeting which lasted for more than three hours.  India and China on Sunday discussed wide range of issues relating to trade, economy, border and people to people exchanges. 

Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart also talked about on economic issues including specific projects, potential for taping opportunities as well as hurdles in pursuing enhanced economic co-operation. 

Both Wang and Swaraj were assisted by their delegations which comprised senior officials from the foreign ministry. Wang will also be meeting leading Indian officials and will have in-depth exchanges on how to push forward bilateral relations.

Wang arrived in New Delhi as special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which indicates the importance which the neighbouring power has decided to accord to the new government at the Raisina Hills. 

The new Chinese leadership is keen to improve relations with India. It has expressed keen interest in establishing high-level contacts with India’s new leadership to step up engagement in political, trade and economic areas.

Earlier, Chinese premier Li Keqiang during his telephonic call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed his government’s desire to establish robust partnership with the new government in India for further development of relations between the two nations. 

Meanwhile, Tibetan organisations protested at various places in the National Capital over the visit of the Chinese Minister. They urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the Tibetan issue during the discussions.