Chinese President Xi Jinping to break protocol, will meet Sushma Swaraj

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has made an exception by agreeing to meet the visiting Indian external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, on Monday. The Chinese president rarely meets the visiting foreign ministers from other countries, who are sometimes accorded respect by a meeting with the country's premier.

Xi's desire to have direct consultations with Swaraj could be related to the recent New Delhi visit by US President Barack Obama. The hallmark of the visit was the Indo-US joint strategic vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean region, much to China's discomfort. Besides, India's growing closeness with China's arch rival, Japan, in the new regime has also upset Beijing.

Swaraj is slated to have another significant meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who will visit her hotel for preliminary discussions with her before the scheduled meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, India, China (RIC) on Monday. Swaraj will also meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi separately before the RIC summit.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing expects "a range of consensus" to emerge between India and China during Swaraj's visit, indicating that officials from both sides are ready to discuss their differences head on. "We believe a range of consensus will emerge from the meeting to further our political trust and our practical cooperation. Our cooperation has made some headway. We are in sound coordination and cooperation on regional and international issues," Hua said.

The RIC summit is expected to formulate joint stand on global issues like terrorism and climate change. "We share similar views on major international and regional issues. So during the meeting, they will exchange views on practical cooperation and issues of common interest," Hua said.

The RIC meeting is being closely watched in diplomatic circles because the three countries combined could pose a potential challenge to western interests in future. Russia, a major supplier of arms, oil and gas, is also looking for business deals because of its major financial crisis, partly due to western sanctions.

Swaraj is also slated to address the Indian community in China at a luncheon meeting on Sunday, besides inaugurating 'Visit India Year' that involves India's tourism department and other agencies.