Xi Jinping to visit India, Bangladesh, Cambodia this week

Beijing, Oct 10: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India, Cambodia and Bangladesh this week during which he would take part in the BRICS Summit in Goa.

During his October 13-17 visit, Xi will first go to Cambodia followed by Bangladesh and later travel to Goa to attend the BRICS Summit, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

In Goa, Xi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other leaders, including heads of the BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand) countries who have been invited to the Goa summit.

In all, 11 Heads of State from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries will attend the meeting.

The BRICS summit will start on October 15 and will end the next day, following which there will be a retreat, in which BIMSTEC countries will take part, according to officials. Xi's visit to Bangladesh is regarded as significant as it is taking place after 30 years.

The last visit at that level took place in 1986, The two countries are expected to sign important agreements, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong, who briefed the media here on Xi's visit, said. While Xi is skipping a visit to Nepal which was put off after the election of Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, he would meet him on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, officials said.

Reports earlier said his visit to Nepal was put off as China was upset over the delay in implementation of agreements by the new government to link both countries.

Li said China regards Goa summit of the BRICS countries important because it will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the five-member bloc to meet and interact with the leaders of BIMSTEC.

PTI