Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to pay state visit to India

Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Li Keqiang, will pay a three-day state visit to India beginning on May 19 at the invitation of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, who briefed the media here about his forthcoming visit, said the Chinese Premier will meet the Prime Minister both in restricted meeting as well as delegation-level talks in Delhi.

"He will be given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and also he will pay homage to Father of the Nation (Mahatma Gandhi) at Rajghat," he added.

Akbaruddin said the Prime Minister will host a banquet for the Chinese Premier at the Hyderabad House on May 20.

"The External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid as well as the Leader of the Opposition (Sushma Swaraj) will call on him," he added.

Akbaruddin further said the Chinese Premier is also scheduled to call on Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and he will also be meeting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

"As regards his other activities in Delhi, I understand he will address an event which is hosted by the ICWA and FICCI on May 21," he added.

The MEA spokesperson said the Chinese Premier is scheduled to address meeting, involving all three-business chambers, during his Mumbai visit.

" It is I understand with the ASSOCHAM in the lead, but also FICCI and CII being part of it," said Akbaruddin

"He is likely to visit the TCS in Mumbai and will meet relatives of Dr. Kotnis while he is there in Maharashtra," he added.

Dr. Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis was one of five Indian physicians dispatched to China to provide medical assistance during the second Sino-Japanese war in 1938.

Akbaruddin further said Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan would also call on the Chinese Premier during his Mumbai visit.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had earlier this month paid an official visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Khurshid after returning to New Delhi said that the meeting over the India-China border dispute with the Chinese leadership was 'fruitful'.