Chinese foreign minister to visit India

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India as President Xi Jinping's special envoy on June 8 and 9, announced Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Tuesday.

Hong told a daily press conference that Wang will meet Indian state leaders and hold talks with India's new foreign minister on the development of China-India relations.

"Wang's visit is the first contact between China and India since the new Indian government took office," Hong said.

He spoke highly of the fast development of China-India cooperation in all areas and their close communication and coordination on international and regional affairs.

2014 is the Year of Friendly Exchanges between China and India, and the 60th anniversary of the two countries jointly formulating the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China is ready to work with India's new government to bring bilateral ties to a new high upon these occasions, the spokesman added.