Beijing: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would visit China from June 22 to 27 to hold in-depth talks with Chinese leaders on bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on June 12.

Vajpayee would visit China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, spokesman of the Chinese foreign ministry, Kong Quan said.

Announcing the visit at a regular ministry briefing, Kong said Vajpayee would be in China from June 22 to June 27 and will have high-level talks with the Chinese leadership on bilateral ties, regional and international issues of common interest.

Vajpayee would be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit China since former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao visited China in 1993. Vajpayee visited China in 1979 when he was foreign minister.

Diplomatic sources said a range of bilateral agreements that are expected to be signed during the visit. Vajpayee would be one of the top foreign dignitary to visit China, the worst hit nation by the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, the SARS situation in China has improved dramatically in the last 10 days with practically no new cases being reported.

Apart from Beijing, Vajpayee would travel to Shanghai, China's largest city as well as the gleaming industrial and commercial hub. He would also visit the Buddhist city of Luoyang in central China's Henan province.

PTI