China.com.cn released a photo Monday of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg with a copy of Chinese President Xi Jinping's book on governance at his desk while hosting the country's top Internet regulator.

Zuckerberg was quoted by China.com.cn as saying he purchased several copies of Xi's book so he and colleagues could learn about "socialism with Chinese characteristics."

The California-based company did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the visit to Facebook's offices by Internet regulator Lu Wei.

"I bought this book for my colleagues as well," Zuckerberg was quoted as telling Lu. "I want them to understand socialism with Chinese characteristics."

The photo shows a beaming Lu sitting in Zuckerberg's work chair, with the Facebook founder smiling and standing next to him.

It was not clear when the visit took place, but Lu was in the United States last week to attend a Chinese-American Internet conference at which China pushed for a louder voice in the management of the Internet.

Zuckerberg surprised Chinese college students in Beijing in October when he chatted with them for 30 minutes in Mandarin, in a move widely seen as an attempt to court Chinese good will.

China.com.cn said Zuckerberg gave Lu a tour of Facebook's office in Mandarin.