Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit India next week for three days of talks focused on the disputed Himalayan frontier, Beijing announced on Saturday. The visit marks only the second such high-level engagement since the violent border clash of 2020, which left dozens of troops dead and triggered a prolonged military standoff. Relations between the two countries have shown signs of improvement following an agreement reached in October 2024 that eased patrols and reduced tensions along the contested border.

The ministry’s statement highlighted that the agenda will center on stabilizing the Line of Actual Control in the Himalayas, where tensions have lingered despite multiple rounds of military and diplomatic negotiations. Wang’s trip comes just weeks before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping for the first time in seven years. Both sides are under pressure to reduce risks of further skirmishes while balancing growing economic interdependence and regional rivalries.

Analysts view Wang’s visit as part of a gradual thaw in ties, with efforts to normalize trade, restore investment flows, and reopen air travel between the two Asian powers. While significant differences remain over the border and strategic influence in South Asia, the visit could help lay groundwork for broader cooperation. Modi’s scheduled meeting with Xi later this month will be closely watched as an indicator of how far the two governments are prepared to move toward a more stable relationship.