India's new ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale today called on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of his visit to New Delhi to attend the RIC ministers' meet as well as hold crucial talks with top Indian officials.
The Indian Embassy website posted a picture of Bambawale meeting Wang. On December 5, Bambawale, who recently took charge, met President Xi Jinping and presented his credentials.
His meeting with Wang today assumed significance as the Chinese foreign minister is scheduled to leave for New Delhi to attend the Russia-India-China (RIC) foreign ministers' meeting to be held there on December 11.
The Chinese foreign ministry earlier said he is due to hold talks with top Indian officials on the sidelines.
Bambawale's meeting also comes a day after China lodged a protest about an Indian drone crashed on the Chinese side in the Sikkim sector on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The Indian Army has clarified that a drone had crossed over into Chinese territory after a technical problem and the Chinese side had been alerted in keeping with protocol.
Wang will be the first Chinese official to visit India after the Dokalam standoff and also after Xi started his second term in office following his re-election at the ruling Communist Party of China's (CPC) once-in-five-years Congress in October.
Wang's visit to Delhi is expected to be followed by China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi's trip later this month to attend the 20th round of India-China boundary talks.
Yang along with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval are the designated special representatives for the border talks later this month.
Both officials are also mandated to discuss the state of entire gamut of bilateral ties.
The two sides have not yet announced the dates for the meeting yet.
The 73-day-long Dokalam standoff ended on August 28 after Chinese troops stopped building a key road close to India's Chicken's Neck corridor.
India had objected to the construction highlighting its security concerns. The road was being built by Chinese troops in an area also claimed by Bhutan.
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