Hamid Ansari to visit China from 26-30 June

New Delhi: Vice-president Mohammad Hamid Ansari will visit China from 26-30 June to attend the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Panchsheel treaty, which was taken as the basis for developing ties between Asia’s two largest countries when it was signed in 1954.

“The vice-president will hold bilateral discussions at Beijing on 30 June 2014 with his counterpart, vice-president Li Yuanchao of China and call on President Xi Jinping,” the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel will be held in Beijing on 28-29 June.

China delivered the invitation to the event during Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi on 8 June.

“The visit by vice-president Ansari, during the year of India-China friendly exchanges, will strengthen the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries,” the statement said.

Ansari will also visit Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province in the north-west. The province occupies a central position in China and is a key transfer station for inland transportation to Central Asia and Europe. The capital Xi’an was the starting point of the old Silk Road, and is now a key city in China’s section of the Eurasia Land Bridge. Known as the New Silk Road, this is a rail transport route for moving freight and passengers from Pacific seaports in the Russian Far East and China to seaports in Europe.