Beijing, May 9
India and China today discussed the recent intrusion by Chinese troops at the Depsang Valley during External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid's two-hour-long meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Welcoming Khurshid, Wang said at present, the China-India relationship has shown a great momentum with both sides preparing for back-to-back visits of leaders within this year.

He was referring to the forthcoming visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to India later this month and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit here later this year.

The two visits provides our bilateral relations an important opportunity for growth, he said. Stating that Khurshid's visit to China has great significance, Wang said at present, both sides have to "work for the common goal of making good preparations for Li's visit to India and to push forward our strategic and cooperative partnership forward between our two countries".

The two leaders later continued their talks over dinner. Ahead of their meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters that China hopes to use existing mechanisms to carry out discussions with India over border issues.

She was replying to questions on the intrusion by Chinese troops at the Daulat Beig Oldi (DBI) in the Ladakh region, resulting in a nearly three weeks’ long standoff before both sides pulled back their troops.

"We hope to use currently available mechanisms to conduct friendly consultations with India on border issues," she said, replying to a question regarding whether the two countries will sign a new border peace treaty,” Hua said.— PTI