Xi Jinping visit to India starts New Era of Indo-Sino relations
Ahmedabad, India: China and India have signed pacts for boosting trade and investments. Chinese President Xi Jinping is confident that his visit is an opening of a new era of Indo-Sino relations.
Press Trust of India reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a three-day visit to India. He was received by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and her Cabinet colleagues at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here.
President Xi, who is accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, was given a traditional welcome on his arrival here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome him in Vastrapur, after which, both leaders will hold talks.
It is expected that both sides will sign three memoranda of understanding (MoUs). Of them, two are for relations between Guangdong and Gujarat and Guangzhou and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The third MoU is related to cooperation in the industrial sector.
President Jinping’s three-day visit is expected to focus largely be on ramping up bilateral trade and investment, besides addressing the contentious border issue between the two Asian giants.
India expects that the visit will address the “interests and concerns” of both the countries and that “all substantive” issues having bearing on the ties including the boundary dispute will be discussed.
Keen to boost its trade ties with India, the Chinese side has already indicated that it will pledge to invest billions of dollars in India’s railway, manufacturing and infrastructure projects during the Xi Jinping’s visit, the third by any Chinese President to India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India will seek greater engagement with China, but at the same time, will also look for progress on “issues of concern” saying their resolution will transform the atmosphere in the relations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gifted Chinese President Xi Jinping a copy of the Gita written in Chinese language.
Xi was received by Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel on the gates of tranquil Sabarmati Ashram, located in the Sabarmati suburb adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of river Sabarmati.
Modi and Patel offered cotton garlands to Xi and accompanied him to different rooms in the ashram which was home of the Mahatma for about 12 years and his wife Kasturba Gandhi.
Later, Xi paid homage to an idol of Gandhi there. Modi also explained Gandhi’s writings in Hindi and English, to the Chinese president on the occasion. According to the trustees of Sabarmati Ashram, Xi wrote in Chinese in the visitors’ book.
Xi also visited Gandhi’s personal room ‘Hridayakunj’ and offered a cotton garland to Gandhi’s picture. Modi also presented mementos, including books and a painting on Gandhi, to Xi on the occasion.
