Manmohan Singh concludes China visit having signed border pact

BEIJING: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today left for home after concluding his three-day visit to China during which he held talks with the Chinese leadership and inked nine agreements, including a pact to defuse recurring border stand-offs.

The Prime Minister addressed future leaders of China at the Communist Party's Central Party School this morning and was hosted a lunch by former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao before his departure.

During the visit, Singh held wide-ranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. He also met President Xi Jinping, who hosted a banquet dinner for Singh, signifying the importance attached to the Indian leader's visit.

In all 9 agreements, including the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement ( BDCA) and one on strengthening cooperation on trans-border rivers, were signed after talks yesterday.

Singh and Premier Li met for the second time this year for talks which the Indian leader described as "fruitful and productive".

But as expected, there was no pact on liberalising the visa regime, which the Chinese side was very keen but India held back in the wake of the controversy over the stapled visas issued by the Chinese Embassy to two Indian archers from Arunachal Pradesh.