New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) China is planning to send an official delegation to India’s upcoming AI summit in the national capital, in a fresh sign that relations between the two neighbours are gradually improving.

According to reports, a vice minister from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology likely to lead the delegation.

George Chen, partner and co-chair of digital practice at consultancy The Asia Group, said the Indian embassy in Beijing had reached out to arrange visas for the Chinese representatives.

The Asia Group regularly engages with Chinese policymakers on artificial intelligence regulation, as per reports.

This is the first public confirmation that China will attend the AI Impact Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from February 16 to 20.

In late December, Chinese state media had cited Indian reports saying that New Delhi had officially invited Beijing to participate in the event.

However, there is no official statement or confirmation from the Indian embassy and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

The planned participation of Chinese officials and businesses comes at a time when ties between the two countries appear to be stabilising after several years of tension.

Relations had deteriorated sharply following a deadly border clash in 2020. After the incident, India banned dozens of Chinese mobile applications, including TikTok, citing security concerns.

However, tensions began easing last year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin in August.

The two leaders were also seen in a widely shared video along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signalling a thaw in diplomatic engagement.

Since then, steps such as the resumption of direct flights and tourist visas have reflected improving ties.

China has increasingly used platforms such as the SCO to expand its influence in global AI development.

The AI summit in India is also expected to draw several prominent global leaders, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

The event’s dates coincide with China’s Lunar New Year holiday, the country’s biggest annual festival.

--IANS

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