Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday and discussed issues of bilateral interests. Let us tell you that the Foreign Secretary has reached China on a two-day visit.

He will try to improve relations between India and China by meeting Chinese officials here. Apart from being the Foreign Minister, Wang is a member of the powerful Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party and China's special representative for the India-China border mechanism.

Visit after delegation meeting

The Indian side is represented by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Misri's visit to China comes after talks between Wang and Doval last month under the Special Representative mechanism.

In his meeting with Misri, Wang said that since the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, Russia last year, the two sides have seriously implemented the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries, held active dialogue at all levels and accelerated the process of improving China-India relations.

China eager to improve relations

• According to a press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday's meeting, Wang said the two sides should seize the opportunity, meet each other, explore more concrete measures, and commit to mutual understanding, support and cooperation instead of suspicion and isolation.
• Wang said the improvement and development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of countries of the global South. Wang said good relations between India and China are also conducive to contributing to the peace, stability, development and prosperity of the two ancient civilisations in Asia and the world.
• After arriving here on Sunday, Misri met Liu Jianchao, head of the ruling Communist Party's influential International Department, which sets the direction of China's foreign policy.

Talks on several issues

According to official media reports, the two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthening exchanges and dialogue, and promoting the improvement and healthy and stable development of China-India relations, as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

Misri was also a former ambassador to China. His visit comes ahead of China's Spring Festival and Chinese New Year celebrations, which begin on January 29, during which the country will be officially closed for a week.