Li's phone call to Modi came after Chinese government's decision to send its Foreign Minister Wang Yi on June 8 as special envoy to meet the new Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Earlier, China had congratulated Modi soon after the poll results were announced.
China had formally greeted Modi and sent a special message through Indian Ambassador to Beijing Ashok K Kantha during his meetings with Wang and State Councillor and Special Representative for the border dispute Yang Jiechi.
Li had also formally greeted Modi immediately after he was sworn-in as Prime Minister, saying China viewed India as a “natural cooperative partner” and was ready to work with the new Indian government to take their strategic cooperative partnership to a “new level”.
“China and India are important neighbours to each other and the top two emerging markets in the world. China-India relations have moved beyond the bilateral scope and taken on global and strategic significance,” he said.
