Beijing: India and China on Thursday signed an
agreement that will enable visa free travel for their airline
staff, allowing more flights between the two neighbouring
countries.
An agreement on streamlining the visa formalities of
airline staff of the two countries was signed by Foreign
Secretary Nirupama Rao and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister
Hu Zhengyue during the visit of President Pratibha Patil.
Under the visa streamlining agreement, the airline
staff of the two countries can enjoy visa-free travel thereby
enabling more flights, more contacts between the two
countries, Rao told reporters here.
India and China also signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of civil
services and public administration. The agreement was signed
by Indian Ambassador S Jaishankar and Vice Minister Wang Ziao
Chu.
Another MoU on cooperation in the field of sports was
signed by Jaishankar and Sports Minister Liu Peng.
The cooperation in the civil services and other areas
will include exchanging visits and organising lectures, while
the pact in the field of sports will enable transfer of
expertise in physical education and exchange of coaches, Rao
said.
Patil, the first Indian head of state to visit China
in a decade, held wide-ranging talks with her Chinese
counterpart, Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and top legislator
Wu Bangguo.
PTI
