Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday afternoon to a red-carpet welcome, commencing his much-awaited, three-day India visit that is expected to take bilateral relations to a new high and usher in a new century of mutual cooperation and growth in Asia
The Chinese President is visiting India amid tension on the Sino-India borders. The old slogan ‘ Hindi-Chini bhai bhai’ was perhaps re-chanted for the first time after 1962.
Meanwhile, the police briefly detained some Tibetan students of MS University in Vadodara who tried to protest against the Chinese President visit
Xi, accompanied by his singer wife Peng Liyuan, alighted from his Air China aircraft at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport at about 3 pm. Gujarat Governor Om Prakash Kohli and Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, among others, received the President in traditional Gujarati style, with folk artistes holding colourful umbrellas giving a brief performance near the tarmac.
After inspecting a guard of honour, Xi and his 130-strong entourage left for Hotel Hyatt. The entire 18-km-long route was decorated with festoons and flags of the two countries while large hoardings and curtains kept the slum areas hidden.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was earlier greeted by Xi Jinping on his 64th birthday, received the Chinese President at the Hotel at about 3.40 pm. Leading industrialists, including Gautam Adani, Karnsanbhai Patel (Nirma) and others, also welcomed their counterparts in the visiting delegation.