World

Indian PM starts China visit with Terracotta Warriors

Modi visited the World Heritage Site in the ancient Chinese capital of Xian

Afp May 14, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

BEIJING:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a three-day trip to China Thursday by inspecting the Terracotta Warriors as a festering border dispute colours relations between the Asian giants.

Modi visited the World Heritage Site in the ancient Chinese capital of Xian, pictures posted on his official Twitter account showed, after he was greeted on the airport tarmac by a dancing troupe.

Photographs posted on the social media network showed his comments in the visitors' book read: "The Terracotta Army is a heritage of the world. It is a testimony to China's civilizational achievements."

Xian is the capital of Shaanxi, Chinese President Xi Jinping's ancestral home province. Xi was expected to join Modi in Shaanxi later, reciprocating after Modi hosted Xi in his home state of Gujarat last year.

READ:Indian rail projects outweigh rivalry before Modi visit to China

Modi will then head to Beijing and China's financial hub Shanghai, seeking to deliver on election promises to attract foreign investment for India's crumbling rail and other infrastructure.

Ahead of his trip, Modi said he firmly believed "this visit to China will strengthen the stability, development and prosperity of Asia".

"I am confident my visit will lay the foundation for further enhancing economic co-operation with China in a wide range of sectors," he wrote on Twitter last week.

China is India's biggest trading partner with two-way commerce totalling $71 billion in 2014. But India's trade deficit with China has soared from just $1 billion in 2001-02 to more than $38 billion last year, Indian figures show.

However, ties between the world's two most populous countries have long been strained over a Himalayan border dispute that saw the two nations fight a brief, bloody war in 1962.

Despite Modi's overtures, tensions remain.

READ:India raises objections over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Earlier this week an op-ed in the Global Times, affiliated with Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, accused him of "playing little tricks over border disputes and security issues".

Writer Hu Zhiyong added that few Indians were able to understand Sino-Indian relations, due to "the inferiority of its ordinary people".

Modi led his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to a crushing electoral victory last May on a promise to revive India's flagging economic fortunes.

After China, he will head to Mongolia and South Korea.

COMMENTS (7)

Ibrar | 8 years ago | Reply It is obviously India's prerogative to decide which countries it wishes to do business with and how it wants to tackle its regional issues. I am surprised that on one hand India is saying that they are not troubled or bothered about recent investment pacts signed by China with Pakistan. Does such policy not bring further bitterness when India Pakistan already have plenty of on going issues with each other.

devindersingh | 8 years ago | Reply @Ibrar: bro.you wanna tell me that your government is run by media? My mean is,media could influence your government policies? Think with cool mind bro what you said.if this true then bro you people are facing leader crisis .plz don't take it wrong way if you think I am indian or I am taunting you. I am not bro.

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devindersingh singh | 8 years ago | Reply @Muhammad: my PM has very thick skin.you can criticise him too much even yiu can ask him what ever you want . incredible man.he always see his target once he quote cherchill famous quoteno need to throw stone on ever dog.one of major plus point is he is a learner. .

Mihir | 8 years ago | Reply @Ibrar: Indian media says a lot of things, but that is not the position of the Govt. Based on the ACTIONS of the Govt, it is very clear that Modi wants that the capital and technology for India's development will be MOSTLY from US, EU and Japan. Korea and China may provide some of these, which are similar because they are far less expensive, but not nearly as much.

Ibrar | 8 years ago | Reply @Mihir: From PM Mod's first day in China even a person of below- average ability will have no problem understanding how immensely kean Indian leadership is for Chinese to invest in your country and restore your rusty infrastructure. You need to watch what your media is saying.

Mihir | 8 years ago | Reply The only objective Modi has with China is to maintain peace and cordiality as good neighbors. India does not care much about other things with China. As far as trade and investments is concerned, it is US and EU which are India's top and only priority, not China.

Muhammad | 8 years ago | Reply Premier Modi is known as a tough man but he , as opposed to his predecessors who tended to reflect China as enemy No 1, is already trying his best to butter his way through at the very outset of his tour. How much he succeeds in his objectives vs Pakistan will be known once he completes his trip. His main agenda however seems to relate to economic matters particularly the issue of the phenomenal trade deficit although he is well aware that China will only buy Indian goods if they are of good quality and that exporting curry spices or similar material will not fill the gap. Writer Hu Zhiyong points out to the inferiority of Indian people as they fail to understand China. Such a statement would cause a storm if made by a Pakistani. Modi is wise and knows why & how to ignore any adverse remarks. He is also being described as playing tricks but he is remaining quite calm - his main agenda is to ensure that his economy related pre-election promises do not turn out to be a mere "hype", hence he is leaving no brick unturned to improve and maintain country's growth. And as a "side dish" he would sure raise the issue of Chinese relations with Pakistan.

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