In the first such visit by the Union Home Minister in a decade, Rajnath Singh on Wednesday embarked on a six-day visit to China for the talks related to boost in security ties and prevention of smuggling of arms to Northeast militants with his counterparts. During his visit, Singh would spend three days in Beijing followed by a three-day stay in Shanghai. Shivraj Patil was the last Home Minister who had visited China in 2005.
“I am looking forward to my visit to China. Hope it would help in deepening of mutual understanding and trust. During my China visit I intend to further strengthen the tradition of mutual learning and better understanding from each other,” he said in a statement here.
Besides holding talks with his counterparts in China’s political dispensation, Singh is also expected to call on Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister li Keqiang. His visit closely follows a rare visit by China’s topmost military official to India.
Gen Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), visited India and Pakistan last week, also the first tour by China’s highest ranking military official to both the countries in a decade.
Singh’s visit is considered to be an opportunity to consolidate efforts by both sides to build political trust initiated during the visits of President Xi Jinping to India last year followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to China.
While the issues relating to standoffs at the border between both the troops were being addressed by the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC), Singh’s visit is expected to firm up security cooperation in various fronts.
Besides issues relating to terrorism, Singh’s talks are expected to crystallise security cooperation between the two countries including more effective crackdown by China in checking arms supplies to militant groups in Northeastern States.