China goes on diplomatic offense with leaders' visits

China is ramping up efforts to improve its relations with neighboring countries, as Chinese leaders were busy last week receiving leaders of Russia, India and Mongolia.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and held talks with Chinese leaders on political ties, economic cooperation, border issues and people-to-people exchanges.

It is unusual for three foreign leaders from countries on China's border to begin their visits to China on the same day.

It is the first time that a new Chinese premier has met a Russian prime minister immediately after the premier took office. It is also the first time since 1954 that reciprocal visits between the Chinese premier and Indian prime minister have occurred in the same year, and marks Altanhuyag's first visit to China since coming to power.

The event shows that China's new leadership attaches more importance to diplomacy with its immediate neighbors, said Jin Canrong, a professor of international affairs with Renmin University of China.

"China has become more engaged in strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries and resolving remaining issues with them," Jin said. "It shows that China, with its growing national power, has become more confident in its diplomacy."

He said that mutual distrust between China and the United States, and differences China has with neighboring countries are two major issues in Beijing's diplomacy.

After President Xi Jinping deepened mutual trust with the US in his visit to the country in June, China has been focusing recently on enhancing cooperation and resolving problems with neighboring countries, he added.

On Tuesday, Premier Li Keqiang and Medvedev co-chaired the 18th regular meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of government, resulting in the signing of 21 deals in various fields, including the energy and financial sectors.

In an online chat with netizens, Medvedev said that Russia will supply an additional 10 million metric tons of crude oil to China a year over the next decade.