Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in New Delhi on June 12 during the latter’s two-day visit to India, during which they reviewed developments on India-China bilateral relations and agreed to continue efforts to stabilise and rebuild ties with a focus on people-centric engagements, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The two sides agreed to expedite the steps involved in resuming direct air services between the two countries. Misri also hoped for the early conclusion of an updated Air Services Agreement. The MEA further noted that both sides agreed to take practical steps for visa facilitation and promote exchanges between media and think tanks.

They also positively assessed the activities planned to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China and agreed to facilitate the same, the MEA said. In this context of strengthening bilateral ties, India on Thursday said it is in touch with the Chinese side, seeking predictability in the supply of rare earth metals, which had been put under the export controls regime by the Xi administration.