Neighbors see great potential in relations, minister says

Visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi greets his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on Sunday. [Photo/Agencies]

Beijing and New Delhi have continued their smooth diplomatic relations following India's national election last month, observers said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi met India's new Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday at the start of his two-day visit. On Monday, he is expected to call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a landslide victory in the lower house, AFP reported.

During the meeting with Swaraj, Wang described the Sino-Indian relationship as "the most dynamic bilateral relationship with the largest potential in the 21st century".

Wang is coming "to engage with our leadership and we will take it from there", Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said at a news briefing last week. New Delhi will be "in a listening mode to engage and see".

Saibal Dasgupta, veteran Beijing correspondent for The Times of India, said Modi makes quick decisions and building a smooth connection between his new leadership with Beijing did not require much time for consideration.

Wang's agenda shows that China and India "are not afraid of being frank" on a range of issues to be addressed, and there will be better understanding between the two nations, according to Dasgupta.

Days before the visit by China's top diplomatic envoy, Beijing clearly stated its expectation of the trip to "usher in new prospects" for bilateral ties, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn