Rajnath Singh to visit China tomorrow

Home minister Rajnath Singh will arrive here on Thursday on a five-day visit to China for talks on a host of issues, including combating cross-border terrorism, as the two countries seek to step up security cooperation in the backdrop of Paris terror attacks. Mr Singh, the first home minister to visit China in about a decade, is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese officials in Beijing, the first leg of his visit that will also take him to Shanghai, China’s financial hub.

He is the highest ranking Indian minister to visit China this year after PM Narendra Modi’s visit in May during which both the sides agreed to deepen relations in all aspects while addressing the vexed border issue.

He will hold talks with China’s public security minister Guo Shengkun, who is also the state councillor in the ruling Communist Party, a rank above the minister. Regarded as China’s police chief, Mr Guo is also head of the national anti-terrorism leading group overseeing nationwide operations against East Turkistan Islamic Movement, an Al Qaeda-backed outfit which has caused extensive violent attacks in the Uighur Muslim majority Xinjiang and many parts of China.

Officials on both the sides said Mr Singh’s visit is taking place after steady development of relations on political, economic and military fronts by both the countries.

The talks are expected to cover a host of security issues, including cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, which has emerged as a “joint source” for infiltration of militants for both India and China.