Gokhale meets Chinese foreign minister ahead of Modi’s visit in June

BEIJING: Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale on Friday held crucial talks with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi ahead of the upcoming parliamentary session in Beijing.
The talks come a few months ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in June.

The officials on both sides tried to find ways to overcome the distrust caused by the Doklam standoff at the border. China’s support to Pakistan is another cause of discomfort in ties between Beijing and New Delhi. China supports Pakistan for strategic reasons but Islamabad uses Beijing’s backing as a lever in its dealings with India.

"The foreign secretary is visiting China to discuss the bilateral agenda, exchange plans and visits for 2018," the Indian embassy in Beijing said. Gokhale was earlier the Indian ambassador in Beijing.

After his meeting with Gokhale, Wang said that Beijing "hopes that the Indian side will handle sensitive issues prudently and work with China to promote the sound development of China-India relations".

Chinese foreign ministry quoted Gokhale saying that he was "pleased to visit China at the very beginning of his term".

"India attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to work with China to implement the consensus of leaders, strengthen strategic communications, take care of each other's core concerns and create a good atmosphere and conditions for the sustained and steady development of bilateral relations," Gokhale was quoted as having said.

Gokhale’s visit is significant because the Communist Party of China is planning a major reshuffle which may involve a change in the post of foreign minister during the two-week-long session of the National People’s Congress, the Chinese parliament, from March 3.