'Hometown diplomacy' between Chinese and foreign leaders

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on her eighth official visit to China, which took her to Premier Li Keqiang's hometown of Hefei in East China's Anhui province on Friday. Invited and accompanied by Li, Merkel will visit farmhouses and a local school.

As a matter of fact, 'hometown diplomacy' is often used by leaders of different countries to improve their personal relationships with their foreign counterparts, as well as diplomatic ties between their countries.

Where are the hometowns of Chinese and foreign leaders and who has been invited to visit? Here are some 'hometown diplomacy' instances between leaders of China and other nations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the world-renowned terra-cotta warriors in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, May 14, 2015. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/Asianewsphoto]

President Xi Jinping

Hometown: Xi'an, Shaanxi province

Foreign leader invited:

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

In May 2015, Modi visited Xi'an in Shaanxi province.

Xi treated Modi to an all-vegetarian banquet with traditional Chinese delicacies. Modi was also welcomed with a traditional Tang dynasty performance after dinner, which involved song and dance by performers in spectacular costumes.

Modi said he was honored that Xi gave him a warm welcome. "President Xi's welcome also touched the hearts of 1.25 billion Indian people," Modi said.

This was the first time Xi has welcomed a foreign leader to his hometown.