Chinese delegation calls on Rahul, Sonia

A Chinese delegation, led by a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and comprising officials of the Chinese Embassy here, met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and held discussions on the ties between India and China.

The delegation called on the two Congress leaders at Sonia Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence here. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma was also present on the occasion.

Li Xi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, is currently visiting India. The Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in India, Li Vijian, was also present during Xi's meeting with the Gandhis.

Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC) Guo Yezhou, Member of the Standing Committee and Director General, CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee Zheng Yanxiong and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Mayor of Shenzhen Chen Rugui were also part of the Chinese delegation.

The leaders held wide-ranging discussions on improving the ties between the two countries, sources said, adding that it was a "courtesy visit".

The meeting comes in the wake of an AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force going missing in Arunachal Pradesh, sharing the border with China, after taking off from Assam's Jorhat on Monday.