With mixed signals coming from China on the India-US civil nuclear deal, foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon will leave for a two-day visit to Beijing on Monday.

Announcing Menon?s visit, the external affairs ministry said here on Sunday, ?During the visit, the foreign secretary will have discussions on India-China bilateral relations as well as on regional and international issues of mutual interest.?

Menon will discuss a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including the boundary dispute and the India-US civil nuclear deal. He will try to seek the support of Beijing, an influential member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, in the 45-nation grouping that operates by consensus. The timing of his visit is very important as the Left parties have accused the government of ?aligning? with the US, and Beijing has not hidden its concerns about a quadrilateral dialogue forum comprising India, US, Japan and Australia that it fears is directed against it.

India is also keen to dispel Beijing?s apprehensions that its growing relationship with the US and its participation in the quadrilateral dialogue is directed against China.

Beijing has been critical of the India-US nuclear deal and wants a similar arrangement for long-time ally Pakistan.