Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Beijing on Sunday, January 26, 2025, for a two-day visit to engage in discussions with Chinese officials, marking the second high-level Indian visit to China within six weeks. The timing of Mr. Misri’s visit coincides with India’s Republic Day celebrations and precedes China’s Spring Festival and New Year, set to begin on January 29.
Soon after his arrival, Mr. Misri met Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. The two discussed implementing agreements made by their nations’ leaders, fostering dialogue, and promoting stable bilateral relations. Both sides also addressed regional and international concerns, according to China’s state-run Global Times.
The visit follows a Ministry of External Affairs announcement about resuming the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism, reflecting an agreement reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during the BRICS summit last October. The talks aim to advance India-China relations across political, economic, and cultural domains.
China’s Foreign Ministry expressed optimism about Mr. Misri’s visit, with spokesperson Mao Ning highlighting recent strides to implement mutual agreements and restore bilateral ties after prolonged tensions. Notably, this follows December’s Special Representatives (SR) dialogue between India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, which focused on resolving boundary issues and resuming cultural exchanges like the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
The discussions in Beijing are expected to cover de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and other bilateral cooperation, including the revival of direct flights and visa facilitation. Both nations seek to rebuild trust and ensure peace at the border to normalize relations.
This visit underscores renewed efforts to repair ties between Asia’s two largest economies, which have seen positive developments, such as disengagement agreements in Ladakh and resumption of patrols after over four years.
