Vikram Misri in Beijing for key talks

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with Chinese officials, in the second such high-profile visit from India to China in less than one-and-a-half months.

The visit of Mr. Misri, who was also the former Ambassador to China, is taking place on Republic Day ahead of the celebrations of China’s Spring Festival and the Chinese New Year, beginning on January 29, during which the country will officially shut down for a week.

Soon after his arrival, Mr. Misri met Liu Jianchao, head of the influential International Department of the ruling Communist Party, which sets the tone for China’s foreign policy.

The two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders, strengthening exchanges and dialogues, and promoting the improvement and healthy and stable development of China-India relations, as well as international and regional issues of common concern, state-run Global Times reported.