Sonia leaves for China

Congress President Sonia Gandhi left for China on Wednesday night on a five-day visit, which is expected to boost bilateral ties between the two countries and also strengthen relations between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Indian National Congress (INC). She was accompanied by AICC General Secretary and MP Rahul Gandhi, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan and MP Karan Singh.

She would meet Chinese President Hu Jintao during her visit. She is also scheduled to hold meetings with a host of other high-profile leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said sources in her delegation. “The visit has immense significance as it is the first visit by a high profile foreign dignitary since the election of President Hu Jintao as the chief of the CPC early this week,” said sources. Sonia’s visit comes in response to Hu Jinato’s invitation to her during his visit to India last year.

Her visit comes at a time when the Left parties are entangled in a war of attrition with the UPA Government over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The Left has been arguing that China also had a similar agreement with the US, but the latter’s agreement was not governed by the US domestic laws, unlike in the case of Indo-US agreement. China is also skeptical about the growing proximity between India and the US and the Communist country is perceived to be a roadblock in the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.