It was from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said: “happy birthday, Modi-san, had a great time in Tokyo, see you next time”. (It was Modi's 64th birthday today).
The informal tone of the message was designed to rub in to anyone who was listening about the highly successful Japan visit Modi undertook recently and to subtly tell the Chinese that Japan had managed a prior claim on the Indian Prime Minister.
As President Xi and his wife touched down at Ahmedabad airport ( she looked resplendent in a baby pink outfit), they received a welcome that is unusual. That the Chinese premier began his visit with Ahmedabad, Modi's former domain, Gujarat, was in itself unusual (most other premiers, such as Bill Clinton, visited Hyderabad towards the end of their visit).
But from trying his hand at spinning a charkha (a traditional symbol of Mahatma Gandhi's campaign in Gujarat) swinging gently on the traditional lac Sankheda swing (another Gujarati symbol) and a 150-course vegetarian dinner of Gujrati cuisine, Xi found time to sign three memoranda of understanding: one twinning Guangdong and Gujarat and Ahmedabad and Guangdong; an MoU in industrial sector between China Development Bank Corporation and Indext-B( Industrial Extension Bureau) and a third extending Chinese support to Industrial park project in Gujarat.
The substantive work – of discussing the border dispute, MoUs for investment and China's claim that its High Speed Railway is better than Japan's – will follow tomorrow and the day after.
Captains of Gujarat's top industrial and business groups, the chief minister of the state and ministers were present at the occasion. This only served to underline the theme of investment and business that will mark the remainder of Xi's visit.
India's economic growth has flagged in recent years, and commentators now talk of catching up with their regional rivals. It is an indisputable fact that from economic parity in 1980, China's growth has outstripped India's fourfold. Nor can it be denied that since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, India has constructed 6,800 miles of railway track, while China added 8,700 miles in the five years to 2011.
Wang Dehua, director of South and Central Asian studies at the Shanghai Municipal Centre for International Studies, said the visit – the first by a Chinese head of state to India in eight years – was likely to focus on economic cooperation, including investments in transport infrastructure and the creation of industrial zones.
Xi, who took power in 2012, arrives after touring the Maldives and Sri Lanka, two countries where growing Chinese influence has worried India. Delhi also has concerns about China's relationship with its neighbour Pakistan and its growing role in Nepal.
Beijing has been unsettled by Indian-US cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and Indian's stance on territorial disputes involving China and other nations in the South and East China Seas.
This is what makes relations between India and China complicated. "On the one hand China is a great opportunity for investment and trade but any Indian will tell you that the big existential threat to their country is not Pakistan but China. That's the only superpower in the neighbourhood and one with which they have already fought a war," one diplomat was quoted as telling the western media.
It could be just a coincidence that on the eve of Xi's visit, tension broke out following reports of clashes on Sino-Indian border with Indian troops challenged a posse of 200 Chinese soldiers, allegedly trying to build a road on Indian territory and drove them back.
Just as in relations with Pakistan, the elephant in the room is China; in talks with China, it is Pakistan and India's complaints about infiltration that will figure. However, it cannot be denied that Xi's India visit is off to a great start.
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@Labiaha: China is a communist country not a Islamic State. Communism are against any form of religion in any shape, so why do you expect special status for Muslims from China?. Even Pakistan had communist parties.
Pati Patni aur Woh +++++++++++++++ China the world's factory and India the world's back office and Pakistan? World leaders in Dharna Technology?
@unbelievable: " China’s claim that its High Speed Railway is better than Japan’s" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ True. Even the accidents of their High Speed trains are more spectacular. (PS Japanese high speed trains have a record of zero accidents).
@Yash: China's President is visiting. Earlier Modi visited Japan where he met Japan's prime minister. Hope that is now clear.
I can see lots of pharmacy shops in Pakistan selling huge quantities of antacid and antiulcer tablets for the past 2 days.
@Labiaha:
"Can china be trusted as an all weather friend ?"
Only delusional fools would even think there is such a thing as an "all weather friend" in international relationships. There are only mutual interests.
Reading this article one is rather confused.Who is actually visiting India at present?Is it the Chinese president or the prime minister?Tribune is supposed to be reputable news paper of Pakistan.
China is promising 10 times more investments in India. This shows where their interests lie. As a Muslim I was shocked to hear that Chinese consume the highest pork in the world also they banned ramzaan fasting for Muslims in china this year. Can china be trusted as an all weather friend ?
Well, China for its own interest will shake hand with any one. It matters very less to them what happens to Pakistan, and i think its pretty justified as well.
Maybe true .. but China had to hire foreigners to develop their high tech railways.
Finally, Bharatvarsha has got a worthy leader i.e. Modi after a long time. His foreign policy is commendable and he'll take Hind to new heights.
Pak should learn from its so-called friend (Though China is nobody friend and it'll make new all weather friend provided that its lucrative for them) and start doing business rising above sentiments.
It hurts to read this story. As a Pakistani, I will never forgive the leaders of the Islamabad dharna for making President Xi's visit impossible