"All issues of mutual interest will be discussed": MEA Spokesperson on upcoming visit of Foreign Secretary to China

In response to the question by ANI about the Foreign Secretary's visit to China and whether issues such as visa and direct air connectivity would come up in the discussions, the MEA Spokesperson said, "Regarding the upcoming visit of the Foreign Secretary which is going to happen on 26,27 January, the Foreign Secretary will be meeting his counterpart, the Vice Minister in China, where all issues of bilateral interest will be discussed. This meeting flows from the understanding that the leaders reached in Kazan, and subsequent to that, we've had meetings at the special representatives' level, and we've had foreign minister-level meetings as well. Once the discussions and talks happen then u will get a readout of what was discussed, what issues were taken up but all issues of mutual interest will be discussed".

On being asked about the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Spokesperson Jaiswal said, "During the Foreign Secretary's visit all matters of mutual interest will be discussed that would include Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as well".

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release that the resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains.

In October, India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang Plains and Demchok, two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The understanding was reached after earlier disengagement in other friction points in eastern Ladakh following meetings at diplomatic and military levels.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in his remarks in Parliament in December last year that the conclusion of disengagement has set the bilateral ties "in the direction of some improvement".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan on October 23, 2024. During the meeting, PM Modi welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas and underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity.

The Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, also met in Beijing on December 18 last year. (ANI)