Seoul: A decision on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's planned visit to China this year is yet to be taken, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said.

Asked whether the government has taken a decision on Vajpayee's visit to China within this year, Sinha said, "Not that I know of. I have to go back and discuss it."

Sinha, who is in the South Korean capital to attend the second ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies, said he is satisfied with the current state of India-China relations.

"Our relations with China is as cordial as ever," he said when asked to comment on the current state of India-China relations.

Meanwhile, matters pertaining to Vajpayee's visit to China may be discussed during the upcoming visit to India by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang would be visiting India for the 14th round of the India-China Joint Working Group (JWG) on boundary issue which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing.

Wang would be the senior-most Chinese official to visit India after China's ruling Communist Party completes its 16th party Congress this week, which is expected to announce a new generation of Chinese leadership led by Hu Jintao, who is currently China's Vice-President.

Sources in Beijing said Wang is expected to discuss with his counterpart, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, Vajpayee's visit to China, which was earlier scheduled to take place within this year.

Chinese Foreign ministry officials pointed out that when Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji visited India in January this year, he had personally extended an invitation to Vajpayee to visit China.

"Prime Minister Vajpayee has accepted the invitation," one official said.

Chinese President and Communist Party general secretary Jiang Zemin, who met Vajpayee on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Almaty in Kazakhstan in June, had also welcomed the Prime Minister to visit China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry official said exchange of visits by leaders of both countries plays an important role in promoting bilateral relations.

"The Chinese side has a positive attitude towards this," he said, adding that Vajpayee's visit would surely promote the development of Sino-India relations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry sources also said that Chinese Defence Minister Gen Chi Haotian has formally invited his Indian counterpart George Fernandes to visit China at his convenience.

"The specific dates of the visit are still being discussed," the ministry spokesman said in response to a question.

Commenting on the 14th round of the JWG, Kong said the two sides would discuss the India-China boundary issue as well as exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest.



PTI