Sushma discusses PM Modi's upcoming visit with Chinese counterpart

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here today on a host of issues, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to China in May this year.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the External Affairs Minister's main agenda is to deepen ties to strengthen bilateral cooperation and to enhance engagement between India and China.

"The primary focus of the discussion was the proposed visit of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Beijing later during the year. So, they discussed how to make this visit an outcome oriented visit," Akbaruddin said.

"Keeping that in mind, they have agreed that the best way forward is to set up a contact group which will work out all the modalities as well as try and see the very outcome oriented summit meetings when the Prime Minister visits Beijing," he added.

The External Affairs Minister, who is presently in Beijing on a three-day visit, earlier in the day said Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first visit to China in May this year.

"Modiji is going to come in May. I will give them the dates today. This is a preparatory visit," she said.

Earlier in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping had visited India and had signed sign several infrastructure related agreements with New Delhi and discussed important regional and international issues during the talks.

He had later invited Prime Minister Modi to visit China.