'Party-to-party' visits a powerful tool

Party-to-party exchanges still carry weight and promote state-to-state relations, said Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies.

Ruan made the remark while commenting on the latest trip of Song Tao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, who is heading for Laos and Vietnam from Tuesday to Saturday.

Many ministers have been sent abroad as presidential envoys either to participate in ceremonies abroad or pave the way for a visit by President Xi Jinping, Ruan said, but sending a diplomat with the title of "special envoy of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee" is a rare thing.