Beijing reached out to New Delhi for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but South Block politely declined, The Indian Express has learnt. The Indian side was said to have conveyed to the Chinese that the Prime Minister was busy Friday since he had to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the UP Chief Minister in Lucknow. Wang, who came on an unannounced visit to New Delhi, was here after more than two years. He reached the Capital at 7.45 pm Thursday and left around 3 pm Friday. Sources said the Chinese have invited Doval to China in his capacity as the Special Representative. The NSA, sources said, responded positively, saying he could visit after immediate issues were resolved successfully. The Chinese did not, however, invite India for a meeting on Afghanistan which is being convened in Beijing. “No, they have not invited us,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Friday.
