Pranab Mukherjee to undertake 4-day visit to China

China's stand on India's membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and its action in blocking the UN move put JeM chief Masood Azhar on the list of global terrorist may come up for discussions when President Pranab Mukherjee makes a four-day visit to China from May 24.

"It is an important relationship, it is an important visit. And as it happens in all these visits, we discuss all issues of interest," Pradeep Kumar Rawat, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs told reporters. At a media briefing ahead of the visit, journalists asked officials whether the issue of China's opposition to India's membership of the NSG, whose meeting is being held in June, will be raised during Mukherjee's meetings with top Chinese leaders.

Asked whether the issue of Masood Azhar will also be raised, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said both sides are in communication with each other. To a question about the reported remarks of a Chinese Embassy official on Friday that China gets concerned when Indian ships enter the South China Sea (SCS), Rawat said Indian ships entering that area is normal and when it happens, there is nothing unusual about it.

The question was asked as Indian navy ships participate in Malabar naval exercise with the US and Japan in South China Sea (SCS).