Sushma Swaraj to travel to China Feb 1

After an intensive engagement with the US during the visit of President Barack Obama, India is now set to engage with China with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to pay an official visit to Beijing Feb 1-3.

Sushma Swaraj's visit, on the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, is also expected to lay the ground for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year.

The two ministers will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of concern to both sides.

Sushma Swaraj will inaugurate the Second India-China High-Level Media Forum and attend the launch of Visit India Year during her stay in Beijing, said an external affairs ministry statement Wednesday.

She will also participate in the 13th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Russia-India-China Trilateral, and will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the meeting.

This would be the first visit by a cabinet minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government to Beijing after the government took over in May last year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had visited India last September.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang had visited India last year to touch base with the Modi government.

The RIC trilateral cooperation currently covers industry, trade, agriculture, emergency relief and healthcare. The RIC countries are also members of various key groupings such as BRICS and G-20.

Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle paid a three-day state visit to India Jan 25-27. He was the chief guest at the Jan 26 Republic Day parade and also held summit level talks with Prime Minister Modi.