CPM delegation to meet Chinese FM for first time

CPM delegation to meet Chinese FM for first time
Beijing, Oct 16: In an unprecedented event, a delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is here on a visit to China, will hold parleys with the country's Foreign Minister tomorrow.

The meeting between the CPI(M) delegation led by politburo member Sitaram Yechury, which arrived here today, and Li Zhaoxing comes ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's first visit to India.

It is for the first time for a CPI (M) delegation to meet with a Chinese Foreign Minister, Yechuri said.

"It is an unprecedented event," he said, adding the Chinese side attaches importance to the visit which comes ahead of Hu's maiden trip to India in November. Hu is also general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the top military organ.

Invited by the international department of CPC, the delegation's visit is aimed at promoting bilateral ties and cementing party-to-party relations. They will also meet a politburo member of the CPC.

Yechuri also said China is keen to strengthen relations with India and the visit also takes place at a time when India and China are marking 2006 as the 'Year of India- China Friendship.'

The CPI-M delegation would also meet with the vice minister of the CPC's international department, Liu Hongkai and discuss party-to-party affairs.

They will have in-depth exchanges with the CPC on party-to-party affairs, international and regional situations.

The CPC leadership is expected to brief the CPI-M leaders on the key decisions taken at the party's plenum held last week, especially the plan to establish a 'harmonious society.'

The CPI-M delegation also includes Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. The other members are former West Bengal Minister Mohammad Ameen, Central Committee member and MLA from Andhra Pradesh P Rammaih and party leader from Maharashtra Kumar Shiralkar.

During their visit, the delegation will travel to Tianjin, a northern port city, Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, an under-developed area in southwest China as well as Shanghai, the Communist giant's gleaming metropolis.

They will interact with Chinese leaders to find ways to carry forward the activities of the special study group formed to resolve the border dispute between India and China besides touching upon other aspects of bilateral relations, sources said.

They will discuss the relevance of India-China-Russia triangle, India-Brazil-South Africa-China quartet and the possibilities of formation of an Brazil-India-China-Russia- South Africa grouping, they said.

The visit comes at a time when there is a growing bonhomie in bilateral ties as also increase in trade and investment and high-level visits. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had visited India last year and had revived the age-old "Hindi-Chini Bhai" slogan.

CPI(M) as also other Left parties have taken up strongly with the Manmohan Singh government, which they support from outside, the hurdles in the wake of Chinese investments in key sectors like ports and other infrastructure.

Tags:

• CPM
• COMINTERN

Source:Zee News