Sushma Swaraj, who was in Beijing on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO),  met Chinese President Xi Jinping:

#WATCH External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. pic.twitter.com/GFeUEC0byc

— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2018

She asked Indians and Chinese to learn each other's language as it would help them overcome communication barriers, which would result in further strengthening the relationship between the two nations.

"When two friends sit together, what do they want? They want to talk their hearts out to each other, share what they feel. And for that we need a language. I should be able to understand Chinese when you speak, and you should be able to understand Hindi when I talk," Swaraj said.  "If there is an interpreter sitting between two friends, he may be able to translate the words but not the feelings with which I say something. So, it is essential that we learn a language, and understand it,"

"I want to say that the way India and China's relation are strengthening, trade is increasing, we are working together on international forums, it has become increasingly important that you learn Hindi and we learn Chinese. So that when Indians visit China they don't face difficulty, and when Chinese visit India, you don't require an interpreter," Swaraj said.

She also met her Kyrgyz and Uzbek counterparts and discussed cooperation in a number of key areas including trade and investments.

She had earlier also given good news that The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra would resume this year through Nathu La pass.