New Delhi, June 21: India and China will sign a number of important agreements, including one on easing visa restrictions, during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's six-day visit beginning tomorrow aimed at sending a "powerful political signal" to forge "stronger" bilateral ties. Bilateral relations in "all its aspects" will figure in the talks Vajpayee will have with his Chinese counterpart wen Jiabao and other top leaders, foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal told reporters when asked if the boundary and Sikkim issues would come up during the discussions.
To a spate of questions on the protracted border question, he said "there is absolutely no expectation on either side that this visit will result in any settlement of the boundary dispute. That process is already underway...This process is independent of the visit." Bureau Report