Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Delhi next month, the ruling parties of India and China would have daylong deliberations in New Delhi on November 1 aimed at strengthening mutual trust between the two countries.
Coming amid strains in ties between the two nations, the conference is significant given the role played by Communist Party of China (CPC) in the government's external affairs policy formation.
The conference named "China and India: 60 Years and Beyond" between leaders of the ruling Congress and the Communist Party of China (CPC) is to mark 60 years of diplomatic and political relations between the two countries.
The meeting will have sessions on the political basis of Sino-India relations, economic and cultural ties between the two countries and strengthening mutual trust.
Congress leader Karan Singh, Chairperson of the AICC foreign affairs department, will be delivering the welcome address at the meeting where a message from Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be read out.
Ai-Ping, who is the vice-minister of International Department of Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPCCC) as well as Wang Jiarui, minister of IDCPCCC, would be the prominent speakers from the Chinese side.
Union ministers Salman Khurshid, Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia and former minister Shashi Tharoor as also former ambassador to China C V Ranganthan are expected to participate in the conference which will also be attended by Chinese scholars.
Relations between the two countries have come under strain with China favouring stapled visa for people from Kashmir Valley, assisting projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and its refusal to allow a senior officer posted in Jammu and Kashmir to visit that country.
A Congress leader said that the decision to hold conferences between the two countries was taken way back when Congress President Sonia Gandhi had visited China in 2008.
A conference from the Chinese side was held soon after in which senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily had represented the country.
A high level delegation of China had come to India a few months back during which it was decided to hold the conference in India.
