BEIJING: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new electronic visa scheme for Chinese nationals on Friday, putting an end to a decades old complaint about cumbersome and delayed visa procedures of the Indian government. TOI had first reported on May 8 that India would overrule objections by its intelligence agencies and clear e-tourist visa facility during Modi’s China visit.The announcement, made before a large gathering of cheering students at the premier Tsinghua University , made Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi so happy that he asked the assembled students to once again cheer and thank Modi for the “gift”.“It’s a big piece of news. Let’s thank the Indian Prime Minister for the gift,” Wang said, suggesting he was pleasantly surprised at hearing this after a day spent in hard bargaining over more than two dozen issues.The e-visa decision had not figured while 24 different agreements were being hammered out during delegation level talks by top officials, released Friday afternoon.Sources said the Indian side wanted to make the announcement as a unilateral gesture by India for the Chinese people. Therefore, when foreign secretary S Jaishankar was asked about it after the agreements were signed, he said there had been no decision on it.Seen from the viewpoint of negotiations, Modi has taken a major initiative going beyond the structured negotiations of officials from both sides to persuade Chinese leaders to accept at least one of his proposals.The PM even spelled out what he wanted saying India and China would jointly establish an Asian century if Beijing supported India’s expectations to join the Security Council and Nuclear Suppliers’ Group. At the same time, he appreciated China’s decision to open a second route for pilgrims to Mansarovar in Tibet.“China and India will advance with more solid steps,” the Chinese foreign minister known for his measured style of talking said at the event, which was also attended by ambassadors Andrey J Denisov of Russia, M Fazlul Karim of Bangladesh, and Mohamed Faisal of the Maldives. “India’s economic development is a source of opportunity for China,” Wang said.Earlier, students in the function hall of Tsinghua University rose and gave the PM a tumultuous welcome as he walked in with Wang, Jaishankar, and ambassador Ashok Kantha. His speech was interrupted at least six times by cheering students of masters and Ph.D programmes.“Perhaps the most significant change of this era is the re-emergence of China and India,” Modi told students. “India is the next frontier of economic revolution. We have the demography for it. About 800 million people in India are below the age of 35. Their aspirations, energy, enterprise and skills will be the force for India’s economic transformation. We now have the political mandate and the will to make it happen.”Modi said his government would do away with “unnecessary regulations”, build a predictable tax regime, and create a liberal environment for foreign investments. He also assured investors that land acquisition laws will neither be allowed to hinder growth nor become a burden on farmers.“Asia’s voice will be stronger and our nations’ role more influential if India and China speak in one voice – for all of us and for each other,” the PM said.