India, China jumpstart hotline

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who starts his four-day official visit to India this week, is set to discuss strengthening the two countries' economic, strategic and cultural ties by starting a telephone hotline with Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and launching the "friendship through tourism year" this week, Kuwait News Agency reported. The hotline will begin operation after a 10-point plan for enhancing strategic and economic cooperation is formalized. Both countries are confident they can double bilateral trade to $40 billion by 2010.