Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China in May, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has announced during a three-day visit to Beijing.<\/p>\n
China is one of India’s top trading partners but they vie for regional influence and dispute their border.<\/p>\n
The announcement comes after US President Barack Obama’s landmark visit to India last week.<\/p>\n
India and the US share an interest in curbing China’s growing regional influence.<\/p>\n
During Mr Obama’s landmark visit he and Mr Modi signed the “Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region” pledging to work together to keep freedom of navigation, maritime security and air space safe, especially in the South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Correspondents say it was the first time India and the US had come together openly to say that they do not want Asia to be dominated by one power.<\/p>\n
“Mr Modi is going to come in May. I will give them dates today. This is a preparatory visit,” Ms Swaraj told reporters in Beijing, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.<\/p>\n
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to take Mr Modi to his home province of Shaanxi, reports say.<\/p>\n
Mr Xi visited India in September. The two sides signed 12 agreements during his visit.<\/p>\n
Although Mr Modi is widely seen as taking a more assertive line on China than the previous Congress-led government, analysts say he will be careful not to alienate China, whose investments India needs to boost its economy.<\/p>\n
Despite the continuing tensions, trade between India and China has risen to almost $70bn (\u00a343bn) a year, although India’s trade deficit with China has climbed to more than $40bn from $1bn in 2001-2002.<\/p>\n
BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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