After NSG, visa rows, China sends Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India to lower tensions

Ties between the two countries have been strained over a number of sticky issues, including NSG membership, scribes' row and visas to Uyghur leaders.

New Delhi: Amid tensions between India and China, Beijing has announced to send Foreign Minister Wang Yi to New Delhi next week for 'serious' bilateral talks.

Ties between the two countries have been strained over a number of thorny issues, including the NSG membership, journalists row and visas to Uyghur leaders.

Wang is also likely to discuss India's participation at the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, which will be attended by PM Narendra Modi from Sep 4-5.

However, Wang's main purpose of visit is to build confidence after differences emerged between Delhi and Beijing on India's NSG membership.

Both sides were also at loggerheads over the issue of Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar.

China had vetoed against a ban on Azhar at Pakistan's behest at the UN.

Confirming Wang's visit, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Vikas Swarup said he will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Wang will meet Sushma Swaraj on August 13, Swarup said at a media briefing here.

The visit is "part of the regular high-level dialogue", he added.

Besides India, he will also visit Kenya and Uganda during his three-nation tour from August 9 to 14, the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson as saying.

India had recently given visas to Uyghur leaders to attend a conference of Chinese dissidents in Dharamsala while refusing to extend visas to three Xinhua journalists, who are employed by the Chinese government.

Beijing has also been wary of growing Indo-US ties which is being viewed by the ruling Communist Party as attempt to check China.