Wen to visit in Dec, as India hosts the world's who's who

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will visit India in December. He arrives close on the heels of US President Barack Obama (November 6-9), French President Nicolas Sarkozy (December 6-7), and on the eve of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s scheduled visit beginning December 21.

With the recent visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron, New Delhi would have hosted all the heads of government of the veto-wielding permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the second half of 2010. The visits come on the eve of India seeking a non-permanent seat on the UNSC for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011.

Informed sources told Business Standard that the initiative for Wen’s visit was taken by Beijing. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sent the Chinese Prime Minister a letter of invitation.

Wen’s decision to visit India comes at a particularly touchy time in India-China relations. Singh has expressed concern about China’s “new assertiveness” with respect to India. It also comes set against the backdrop of China’s confrontation with Japan and other East and Southeast Asian neighbours. Singh visited Beijing in January 2008. Wen was in India in April 2005.

China has emerged as India’s biggest trade partner. Bilateral trade has increased from a modest $3 billion in 2000 to over $60 billion this year. China is increasingly eyeing India’s infrastructure business and could also be interested in investing in civil nuclear energy development.

The economic engagement between the two Asian giants has been steadily increasing. This is despite rising tensions on China’s approach to Pakistan and the Kashmir issue, its renewed claims to Arunachal Pradesh and lack of interest in addressing the longstanding border issue.

Interestingly, Wen’s desire to visit India comes on the eve of Singh’s visit next month to Japan and South Korea. India is negotiating a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with both East Asian nations.

With so many heads of governments scheduled to pay India a visit and his own overseas travel plans, Singh’s diplomatic calendar is nearly full for the last quarter of 2010.