Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit India next month

NEW DELHI: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will come here on June 8 as his government's special envoy to establish connection with the new dispensation at the Centre.

According to sources, Wang's visit reflects the importance Chinese government attaches to ties with India. China yesterday expressed keen interest in establishing high-level contacts with India's new leadership at the earliest to step up engagement in political, trade and economic areas.

"China attaches high importance to relations with India and is ready to work with the new Indian government to maintain high-level contacts," China's influential State Councillor Yang Jiechi told India's Ambassador Ashok K Kantha during a meeting in Beijing.

China was reportedly keen that a top Indian leader attends the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Panchasheel, the five principles enunciated jointly by former prime minster Jawaharlal Nehru and his then Chinese counterpart Zhou Enlai.

The event in which leaders of China, India and Myanmar are expected to participate is slated to be held in China on June 28. Also, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who took over last year, had expressed interest to visit India after the swearing-in of the new government.

Last year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made New Delhi his first stop abroad after he took over the high office to convey the importance China's leadership attached to improving relations with India. Modi's first trip abroad will be keenly watched here.

On Monday, Li congratulated Modi after he was sworn-in. China views India as a "natural cooperative partner" and it is ready to work with the new Narendra Modi-led government to take their strategic cooperative partnership to a "new level", Li said.