Key principle of India's ties with China is reducing divergence: Pranab Mukherjee

He is likely to raise the issue of China blocking India's bid to get a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and its insistence on India signing NPT

The cardinal principle of India's relationship with China is expanding areas of agreement and reducing divergence, President Pranab Mukherjee today said ahead of his talks with top Chinese leaders during which he is likely to raise issues like India's membership in the NSG.

"We have never indulged in expanding divergence but reducing divergence and expanding areas of agreement. This is the cardinal principle of Indian diplomacy," Mukherjee said, starting his four-day visit to China from this southern Chinese industrial hub.

Addressing the Indian community at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to China Vijay Gokhale, he cited examples of growing cooperation between India and China in various multilateral fora like the UN, World Bank, IMF and BRICS and said the two countries have worked in close cooperation with each other in these institutions.

During his first state visit to China, the President will be meeting his counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday besides holding delegation-level talks with him. He will also meet Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders.

He is likely to raise the issue of China blocking India's bid to get a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and its insistence on India signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to get membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Mukherjee, who is making his first visit as head of state but has made a number of trips to China in various capacities during his long political career, is expected to convey India's concerns on these issues and present India's views on how it felt strongly on them, sources said.

Issues of mutual interest like the festering border dispute and ongoing mechanism to resolve the problem will figure in his discussions with the Chinese leadership.