Indian president to visit China next week

President Pratibha Patil will embark on a five-day official visit to China next week when she will open the first Indian-style Buddhist temple in the ancient Chinese capital Luoyang.

President Pratibha Patil will embark on a five-day official visit to China next week when she will open the first Indian-style Buddhist temple in the ancient Chinese capital Luoyang.

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The trip coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China.

With a view to further strengthen bilateral ties, Patil, who has been invited by her Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, will be in China May 26-31.

“She will visit Beijing, Luoyang and Shanghai. During delegation level talks with President Hu, the two sides will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues,” said a statement issued New Delhi on Wednesday.

The president will also meet other Chinese leaders, including Chairman of the National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

In Luoyang, the president will dedicate to the Chinese people an Indian-style Buddhist temple, which was inspired by the Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh and took five years to build at a cost of $4 million.