Top Chinese Communist Party politburo leader meets Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Han Zheng, member of the politburo of the Communist Party of China and party secretary of Shanghai, who is on a visit to India.

"An important visitor from China comes calling. CPC Party Secretary of Shanghai Han Zheng meets PM @narendramodi," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Han, who is here on an invitation extended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, is being accompanied by a strong business delegation and will visit New Delhi, Agra, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

After meeting Modi, Han also called on Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.

"Connecting with China's cities. After calling on PM, CPC Party Secretary of Shanghai Han Zheng meets MoS @Gen_VKSingh," Swarup said in another tweet.

The visit of Han and his delegation is under the exchange programme between the ministry of external affairs of India and the international department of the Communist Party of China (MEA-IDCPC).

"Following the institutionalisation and expansion of the MEA-IDCPC during the landmark visit of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi to China in May 2015, this is the highest level visit from China under this exchange programme," Swarup said earlier on Thursday in his weekly media briefing here.

The last visit from India under this programme was that of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in January this year.

--IANS

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