BEIJING — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday chaired a Party leadership meeting to deliberate and make arrangements on rescue and relief efforts after a devastating mudslide hit Gyirong county in southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

At the beginning of the meeting, Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other leaders observed a moment of silence to mourn the victims of the disaster, which struck the border port of Gyirong on Wednesday.