<br/>India and China today signed an agreement to establish a hotline between Prime Ministers of the two countries. The agreement was signed by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi after their first round of talks in Beijing. This is the first time in recent years that India has established a dedicated hotline facility with any country. Under the agreement, dedicated phone lines will be set up in the Prime Minister's office of the two countries. This would enable Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao to hold direct conversations whenever they want. <br/><br/>The decision to establish the hotline was reached during a meeting between Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in June last year. After the over an hour-long meeting, Krishna said the establishment of hotline facility showed how close India and China are with each other. Talking to reporters he said, this has been one of the highlights of his visit and it is fitting that the two countries are able to do it during the celebrations of 60th year of establishment of diplomatic relations. Asked whether the issue of stapled visas were taken up during the meeting with Yang, Krishna said, all issues concerning bilateral ties were discussed. <br/><br/>Mr. Krishna said, New Delhi and Beijing want to have cordial and friendly ties and lift the bilateral relations to a new level of strategic cooperation and partnership. He said the trade between India and China will touch 60 billion US dollars this year and the issue of trade deficit with China is being discussed.<br/><br/>Earlier, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has met the families of 21 Indians, who have been charged with diamond smuggling in China. He assured them that the issue will be raised during his meetings with the top Chinese leadership today. Mr. Krishna, who is on a four-day official visit to China, met the families of the Indians, who were arrested in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in January.<br/><br/>While 20 Indians have been charged with diamond smuggling, one has been charged with money laundering. India has again sought consular access to meet the Indians and has also requested Chinese authorities to allow them to meet their immediate family members.<br/>