Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins key China visit

Indian PM Narendra Modi has begun a three-day visit to China as the two countries seek to boost economic co-operation. Mr Modi has met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xian, capital of Mr Xi's home province of Shaanxi, and will later travel to Beijing and Shanghai. The leaders of the world's two most populous nations are expected to sign deals worth billions of dollars. Relations are still strained over a long-running border dispute. China is India's biggest trading partner with commerce between the two countries totalling $71bn (£45bn; €62bn) in 2014. But Indian figures show that its trade deficit with China has spiralled from just $1bn in 2001-02 to more than $38bn in 2014. Mr Modi said ahead of his visit that he hoped it would increase the prosperity of Asia. "I am confident my visit will lay the foundation for further enhancing economic co-operation with China in a wide range of sectors," he tweeted last week.   BBC