Nehru to Modi: The riverfront diplomacy

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits down to host Chinese President Xi Jinping
at Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront this Wednesday, it will not be a first such
riverfront interaction between two top leaders of both countries.

The 'Glass House' at Sutlej Sadan where then
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru met with
Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai (Photo: IANS)
Almost 50 years ago, this small town in Punjab hosted Chinese premier Zhou
Enlai on the invitation of the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
The location was the Sutlej riverfront with magnificent hills in the backdrop.
The 'Glass House', where both Nehru and Enlai met and discussed the
"Panchsheel Principles of Mutual Co-Existence", today stands as a testimony of
the historical meeting here. Some of the furniture used at that time, in the mid-
1950s, is still there.
The small, single room glass house is located inside the complex of the 'Sutlej
Sadan', a government guest house managed by the Bhakra Beas Management
Board (BBMB). A small rock placed outside the glass house points out that the
'Panchsheel Principles' were discussed at this riverfront location.
"It is another matter that despite the bonhomie displayed by both leaders here at
that time, both countries went to war just years later in 1962. The 'Hindi-Chini
bhai bhai' slogan, which the Chinese leadership used to say, had no meaning,"
Ram Rattan, an old timer in Nangal, told IANS while re-counting the visit of the
Chinese premier.
"Though a lot of things have changed since then, India needs to tackle China
cautiously. The riverfront diplomacy, whether in Nangal or Ahmedabad, is good
but our historical experience has not really been great," Rattan pointed out with a
note of caution.
Nangal town, located about 110 km from Chandigarh and a population of around
45,000, is more famous for the 225-metre high Bhakra Dam near here. The
Bhakra-Nangal project has been one of the pioneer hydro-electric projects in
post-independent India with Prime Minister Nehru describing it as a "Temple of
a resurgent India".
Unlike the nondescript glass house in Nangal, the 600-year-old city of
Ahmedabad has been spruced up to host the top leaders of the world's two most
populous countries who will meet and dine at the Riverfront Park, on the banks
of the Sabarmati river in the upscale Shahi Baug area.
The park has got a new look with rustic rural Gujarati ambience especially
created for the leaders to indulge in a sumptuous candle-light dinner and some
"guppa-guppi" (banter in Gujarati).
In the fore and backgrounds, there will be a cultural programme of tribal and folk
dances and music, along with Garba and Dandiya - the state's favourite, graceful
yet robust dance form - which is what the upcoming nine-day Navratri festival is
all about.
Five huge air-conditioned domes have been created at the picturesque Riverfront
Park on the river's eastern bank, where the two dignitaries and a select 150 guests
shall savour pure vegetarian and exquisite Gujarati cuisine prepared by top chefs.
Security has been beefed up at the riverfront where Modi will spend around 95
minutes along with Xi Jinping. Modi and Xi will take a walk along with river front
and have dinner. Special lighting has been installed on the riverfront. - IANS
- See more at: http://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/2960/nehru-to-
modi:-the-riverfront-diplomacy---.html#sthash.7n3i0Lly.dpuf

There is a deliberative attempt at innovation in every decision prime
minister Narendra Modi takes and after this it may become a norm.
Chinese president Xi Jinping, who starts his three-day India visit on
September 17 from Ahmedabad, is the first foreign dignitary to start off
from outside Delhi. It is the norm that state visits start off in the national
capital. However, from now on, foreign heads of state and government
would be encouraged to start by exploring other parts of the country apart
from the Capital.
The PM will be in Ahmedabad to receive the Chinese head of state.
Another first would be that there will be official talks during Xi's day-long
stay in the Guajarat capital, Modi's home state. The ministry of external
affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said there would be signing of
agreements, which is again a first. He was not in a position to disclose
anything about the nature of agreements to be signed, but he assured that
those signed in Ahmedabad will pertain to that region. There will be other
agreements that Modi and Xi will sign in Delhi after officials talks, at the
meeting between the two leaders along with aides and later at delegation
level.
There has been much preparation on the part of India for the visit,
especially through national security adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing last
week, where he called on Xi and met ministers and officials to discuss the
visit. Akbaruddin said Doval conveyed to theChinese government that
India sees "the visit as an important landmark". It is only the third Chinese
presidential visit. The earlier ones were that of Jian Zemin in 1996 and Hu
Jintao in 2006. The MEA spokesperson said that the "new government was
engaged in intensive global engagement" and Xi's visit is being seen as
part of this new drive.
There have been brisk exchange of visits between the two countries ever
since Modi took over as prime minister in May. Chinese prime minister Li
Keqiang was the first foreign leader to have telephoned Modi and
congratulated him after the swearing-in. Modi had met Xi on the sidelines of
the BRICS summit in Brazil in July, and it was followed by vice president
Hamid Ansari's visit to China. Minister for external affairs Sushma
Swaraj had met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi twice, first in June in Nw
Delhi and again on the sidelines of the Asean Regional Forum in
Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw in August.
The MEA spokesman and joint secretary (east) in the ministry Pradeep
Rawat did not reveal any breakthrough agreements on the economic front
nor on the crucial issue of border talks. To repeated queries about Chinese
incursions in the north-east, Akbaruddin said that incursions will be handled
on the ground by the "brave sentinels" and made it out that it will not in any
way impact on the Modi-Xi talks because these are a different thing
altogether.
Chinas WMD cooperation with
Pakistan looms over Xi-Modi talks
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of
Thomson Reuters)
The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India and his meeting with Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi this week has elicited considerable positive interest in both
countries. It has the potential to recast the uneasy Asian strategic framework, and by
extension the relations of emerging global powers that are currently clouded by
acrimony and mutual mistrust.
India and China are two civilizational states
with a quantitative contour and complex pedigree that is both ancient and yet
recent. The two Asian giants have a population in excess of one billion and
unbroken histories that go back by a few thousand years. Yet their bilateral relations
are of very recent origin when they became independent nation states in the
1940s.
Opting for two very different political systems one a diverse and federal democracy
nurtured by Jawaharlal Nehru and the other a near homogeneous authoritarian
communist regime consolidated by Mao Zedong the received wisdom is that the
two neighbours are both committed to peaceful coexistence enshrined in the 1954
Panchsheel principles, whose 60th anniversary was marked in Beijing in June.
However, the brief Sino-Indian war of October 1962 over contested territoriality
reflected the fragility of peaceful coexistence and relations have since been uneasy.
The border dispute remains unresolved 52 years after that war and progress, if any,
has been glacial.
Over the last few decades, there is a strongly held view in New Delhi that while
espousing peaceful relations, Beijing has assiduously sought to contain India in the
South Asian box by entering into a deep and covert strategic relationship with
Pakistan.
Thus, it was encouraging to note that on the eve of Xis visit to India, a senior official
in Beijing tried to assuage Indian anxieties. Assistant Chinese Foreign Minister Liu
Jianchao asserted that the leaders of China and India had pledged to work together
to manage and control their differences and highlighted their shared common
interests as large developing nations.
He said: India is a country with which
China has been friendly for thousands of years. China has never, and will not, use
so-called military or other means to try and hem in India. And to further
reiterate Beijings benign intent, he concluded: There is no strategic competition
between China and India in our relationship and there is certainly no such word as
surround.
Given the political definitiveness that both Xi and Modi bring to the table, it is likely
that they will be able to review the complex and tangled territorial and border dispute
to some degree of minimum acceptable mutuality. There is reason for cautious
optimism and if both sides revisit their inherited and emotionally embedded national
narratives, a modus vivendi is a possibility. Not in the first summit, but clear political
directions to the zealous officials who are guardians of territoriality
cum sovereignty and a concurrent effort to infuse in their respective citizens a new
narrative that accepts the omissions of the past by leaders on both sides Mao and
Nehru would be very propitious.
But the more nettlesome issue that lies at the core of the current anxiety and
suspicion in India about Chinas true intent is the opaque Sino-Pakistan nuclear
weapon and missile cooperation. Shrouded in secrecy, this WMD (weapons of mass
destruction) cooperation goes back to the late 1980s and most domain experts are
familiar with the empirical facts of the issue.
For reasons best known to Beijing at the time, China decided to enable the Pakistan
military to acquire nuclear weapon capability and missiles to deliver them.
Consequently, Pakistan carried out a secret nuclear weapon test in May 1990 and
the strategic reality was that India was hemmed. For a few years, India was in an
asymmetrical WMD position in relation to both its neighbours and finally took the
decision to demonstrate its own nuclear weapon capability in May 1998.

The greater anxiety for India is not the fact that it has two nuclear weapon
neighbours with whom it has had an adversarial (Pakistan) or uneasy (China)
relationship. It is the malignant reality that Rawalpindi the general headquarters of
the Pakistan Army that controls its nuclear weapons chose to use this apocalyptic
capability to enhance its ability to unleash terror attacks against India.
Thus, well before the misplaced U.S. certitude about Iraq as a deviant state that
was likely to use WMD as a shield to engage in terrorism, Pakistan had refined the
new global security challenge NWET (nuclear weapon enabled terrorism). The
Mumbai attacks of November 2008, or Indias 26/11, are a case in point and China
is indirectly culpable.
For years, Beijing and its interlocutors refused to enter into any dialogue on this
subject and steadfastly obfuscated the reality. Tenacious amnesia is the leitmotif.
However warm the Xi-Modi handshake and embrace this week, unless this core
issue is satisfactorily addressed the vast potential being enthusiastically
anticipated for Sino-Indian relations to bloom under two new and pragmatic leaders
will, alas, be short-lived.

Daawat-e-Modi: What's on the platter for
Chinese president
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting the Chinese President Xi Jingping who is
on a three-day visit to India. On the first day, which also happens to be Modi's
birthday, the PM is holding a private dinner with the Chinese leader and his wife
Peng Liyuan under a special tent on the banks of Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad.
Here is what the birthday boy is going to have with his Chinese guests:
Beverage
Rajwadi Chaas
(Buttermilk with mint and coriander)
Farsan
Nylon Khaman
(Khaman, a regional specialty steamed preparation of fermented gram flour)
Sandwich Dhokla
(Colored veg snacks from Gujarat made with fermented batter of rice and
chickpea splits)
Tilwali Khandvi
(A tightly rolled bite-sized piece made of gram flour and yoghurt)
Sev Khamni
(Sweet and tangy gram lentils snacks)
Khasta kachori
(Deep fried flaky kachori filled with a delectable lentil mixture)
Items in Thali
Ringna Methi Nu Shak
(Eggplant cooked with fresh fenugreek leaves)
Gujarati Khatti Mithi Dal
(Sweet and sour lentil cooked on slow flame)
Half Undhiyu
(A regional exotic mixed vegetable preparation with spinach paste)
Bhindi Sambhariya
(Light spiced lady finger/okra with crushed peanut)
Aloo Rasila
(Mustard seed tempered Potato and tomato with thin curry)
Steamed rice
(Steamed cooked fine Indian basmati rice)
Badsahi Khichdi
(Simmered rice and lentil cooked together)
Gujarati Kadhi
(Gram flour and yoghurt tempered with curry leaf & mustard seed)
Chapati
(Braised thin rolled wheat flour pancake)
Methi Na Thepla
(Braised thin rolled gram flour pancake floured with fenugreek)
Bhakri
(A round flat unleavened bread made from coarse whole wheat flour)
Kachumber salad
(Grated carrot, onion, tomato, cucumber tossed with coriander)

Desserts
Thanda Dudh Pak
(A chilled rice pudding made from milk, rice, saffron and nuts)
Mango Shrikhand
(A thick texture dessert made of hung curd and mango pulp)
Garam Beetroot Halwa
(Grated Beetroot cooked and reduced in milk in slow fire)
Fresh cut fruits
(Freshly Cut Plum, Kiwi, Green Apple, Red Apple)
Sugar Free Gehu ke Laddu
(Traditional round balls made from coarse whole wheat flour with sugar free)


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/modi-jingping-dinner-birthday-
sabarmati/1/383440.html
Narendra Modi turns 64 today. If you U-Turn his age, you get Kejriwal's Age: 46.
Coincidence? I think not #HappyBirthDayPM


Chinese President Xi Jinping Begins
India Visit, Three Pacts Signed in
Gujarat
AHMEDABAD: India and China today signed three Gujarat specific pacts
shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping commenced his three-day visit to
the country from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state.

State authorities rolled out the red carpet as Mr Jinping, the first Chinese
leader to visit Gujarat, was given a warm welcome after an Air China
special aircraft carrying him and his delegation landed at the airport. Giant
billboards in Mandarin, Gujarati and English were put up at various places
here to welcome him.

Xi's three-day visit is aimed at ramping up trade and investments, besides
having discussions on substantive issues including the contentious border
dispute. It also coincides with PM Modi's 64th birthday.
RELATED
For PM Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping, a Walk by the River, Dinner and Business
Chinese President Xi Jinping Pays Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram


The three pacts were signed in the presence of PM Modi and Xi after the
Chinese leader and his wife Peng Liyuan, dressed in a pale pink knee-
length dress, were welcomed by the Prime Minister at the entrance of the
Hyatt Hotel. PM Modi gave floral bouquets to the couple.

The choice of Gujarat as Xi's first stop in India marks a departure from
protocol and many see it as a sign of warm relations between the two
leaders. When the couple landed at the Ahmedabad airport, apart from a
guard of honour, there was a traditional Gujarati dance.

The three pacts include making Guangzhou city in China and Ahmedabad
as sister cities, setting up of industrial parks in this state and an agreement
between Guangdong province and the Gujarat government for
development of cultural and social ties between the two provinces, officials
said.

The agreement, aimed at developing industrial parks, was signed between
China Development Bank (CDB) and Industrial Extension Bureau
(iNDEXTb) of Gujarat Government. It envisages promoting the bilateral
trade and setting up of industrial parks in the state, especially for
electronics and electrical goods.

While an agreement was signed between Guangdong province and Gujarat
government for development of cultural and social ties between the two
provinces, another MoU was inked between Guangzhou city and
Ahmedabad, to make them sister cities. These MoUs will facilitate
exchange of ideas and services between Gujarat and China, officials said.

Besides PM Modi and Mr Jinping, Chief Minister Anandi Patel and her
Cabinet colleagues, members of Chinese delegation and several top
businessmen from the state were present at the event.

PM Modi also accompanied Mr Jinping to the tranquil Sabarmati Ashram
on Ahmedabad's Ashram road and explained its historical significance to
the Chinese President.

They later took a walk down the Sabarmati riverfront which was a riot of
colour with the visiting dignitaries treated to a mix of Gujarati tradition and
culture through dance forms including the famous garba dance.

India, China sign 3 pacts within hours of
Xi's arrival
India and China on Wednesday inked three pacts in Ahmedabad, hours within the
arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping on a three-day visit to India during which the
two countries will focus on boosting trade and investments, besides discussing
substantive issues including the contentious border dispute.
Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan and a delegation of senior party and
government officials, was received by Gujarat governor O P Kohli and chief minister
Anandiben Patel and other senior state cabinet ministers and accorded a grand
welcome with various folk artists performing at the airport.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the visiting dignitary and his wife at the
entrance of the Hyatt Hotel after which the Prime Minister showed them an
exhibition of various Buddhist artifacts and slides.
Thereafter, the two leaders had a brief meeting before heading for the signing-in
ceremony of the pacts which are aimed at giving boost to Chinese investments in
Ahmedabad.
The agreements include sister city pact between Guangzhou in China and
Ahmedabad and setting up of an industrial park in Gujarat.
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's visit, the third by any Chinese President to
India.

Inch towards Miles is
Modi mantra as Xi
arrives today
As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Ahmedabad on Wednesday 17 years
after he last visited India as a Communist Party functionary with a bouquet of
investment deals aimed at surpassing Japans $35 billion commitment, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Tuesday set the stage for the bilateral talks, terming it Inch
towards Miles.
Interacting with Chinese journalists based in India, Modi said, I would like to give a
new terminology to my tomorrows meeting with the Chinese President. I call it Inch
towards Miles. INCH is India-China, towards MILES is Millennium of
Exceptional Synergy. I believe that tomorrows meeting will mark a happy beginning
towards this goal of Inch towards Miles.
Apart from the investment deals, sources told The Indian Express, New Delhi wants a
stronger commitment from China on the issue of terrorism since Beijing is also
battling with incidents of terrorism in its western parts in Xinjiang province.
With recent incidents in Tiananmen Square, Beijing and Taiyuan, China too is
emerging as a casualty although with a much lower level of collateral damage when
compared with India. A common thread for both countries is terrorism with radical
Islamic leanings, which finds safe havens at a number of locations in South Asia and
beyond.
While China needs to fully comprehend the damage potential of religious extremism
emanating from Pakistan, New Delhis negotiators are trying to impress upon them
about the need to use Beijings close military links and aid to Pakistans military and
intelligence agencies to curb terrorist elements.
Sources said that while New Delhi feels that China, with its strong influence over
Pakistans leadership and military, can exercise useful leverage in controlling
religious extremism, it is mindful of Beijings approach towards Islamabad and
Rawalpindi.
So, the joint paragraph being negotiated by both Indian and Chinese interlocutors is
expected to make a formulation that the two sides will not allow their territories to be
used for activities against the other without mentioning Pakistan. Sources said a
stronger denouncement of terrorism, along with possibilities of cooperation under the
rubric of Russia-India-China trilateral mechanism, is expected to figure in the
discussions as well as the joint document.
Modi is also likely to gift a copy of the Gita to the Chinese President, talk
aboutBuddhism values and make a bid for peace in the region.
When asked by the Chinese media about Xis initiative to revive the maritime silk
route, Modi said, I believe that the re-emergence of the natural trading routes would
make a major contribution to building a prosperous Asia in this century. He said the
ancient silk and spice routes promoted the exchange of ideas, cultures, art, religion
and spiritualism.
On the unresolved issue of border dispute, Modi talked about strengthening our
strategic communication, a theme mentioned during the meeting between the two
leaders in Brazil on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, and about enhancing
mutual trust and confidence; showing sensitivity to each others concerns and
interests; continuing to maintain a climate of peace, stability and tranquillity in
our relations; and, seizing the opportunities for bilateral cooperation and
international partnership. Sounding optimistic about the visit of the Chinese
President, he said, The arithmetic and chemistry of our relations convinced
me that together we can script history and create a better tomorrow for all of
mankind. He went on to narrate how sugar in Hindi is called cheeni. It is
not known as cheeni for nothing. It is because of the Chinese technology that
we were able to refine the sugar and make it pure and hence the people of
India started calling sugar as cheeni. There is a history of deep ties between
our people and between our countries, he said. - See more at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/inch-towards-miles-is-modi-
mantra-as-xi-arrives-today/2/#sthash.EI0jSbiX.dpuf

Xi wears khadi jacket while
touring Sabarmati Ashram

Ahmedabad: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday wore an Indian look as
he was attired in an off-white khadi jacket presented to him by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi soon after his arrival here.
Xi wore the jacket over his white shirt when he visited the Sabarmati Ashram, once
the abode of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
The Chinese President and Modi spent a few minutes at Hriday Kunj in the
Ashram, where Xi operated the 'charkha' (spinning wheel).
Xi and the First Lady later visited the Sabarmati riverfront and were accompanied
by the Prime Minister.
They witnessed glimpses of Gujarati culture.
The two leaders sat on a 'jhoola' (swing) for a few moments.
The President and his wife also sat on a traditional cot, before joining Modi for a
private dinner on the riverfront.
NEW DELHI: India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi, celebrated his
64th birthday on Wednesday by hosting President Xi Jinping of China in his
home state of Gujarat, as the leaders of Asia's two giants lay the
foundation for a long-term relationship that carries huge stakes for both.

It is the first visit of a Chinese president to India in eight years - only the
third in history - and the reasons for mutual good will are compelling.

China has the ability to channel billions of dollars into Indian infrastructure
and manufacturing projects, allowing Modi to pursue the job-creation
agenda that was at the heart of his campaign. China, meanwhile, needs
calm on its southwestern border to offset tense relationships with Japan,
Vietnam, the Philippines and the United States. State-run Chinese
newspapers have lavished praise on Modi, intimating that he has the
potential to set India on a Chinese-style economic growth trajectory.

But those interests are balanced by deep historical mistrust on security
matters.

Indeed, even as India prepared an opulent riverfront dinner for Xi in Gujarat
this week, troops and slogan-chanting civilians were facing off along the
disputed border between China and India, where the two countries fought a
brief war in 1962. India has discussed beefing up maritime cooperation with
the navies of Australia and Japan and proposed tighter defense and energy
ties with Vietnam - all moves that could be seen as a challenge to China.
Meanwhile, China is building ports and other facilities throughout South
Asia, a so-called string of pearls strategy that India views warily.

M.J. Akbar, a spokesman for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, said the new
government would assert India's role as a leading power in the region
without fear of irritating China.

"I think that China doesn't respect you unless you respect yourself," Akbar
said. He added, "I think China is very clear that no element of confrontation
should escalate to the point of hostility, because it knows that its economic
project is still far from complete."

The Chinese leader's three-day visit will be marked by a charm offensive
on both sides. In what officials described as an unusual gesture, Modi
agreed to greet Xi in person Wednesday when he arrived at his hotel in
Ahmadabad, the commercial hub of Gujarat. The two were then scheduled
to meet at a private dinner on the Sabarmati Riverfront, a project that the
Indian leader championed, replacing sprawling riverfront slums with a
broad, concrete, modernist promenade.

In a commentary published Wednesday in The Hindu, a daily newspaper,
Xi argued for closer economic cooperation between China and India, which
he described as "the world's factory" and the "world's back office." He said
China could help India improve its infrastructure and manufacturing base
and open Chinese markets to Indian pharmaceuticals and IT services - a
move that could narrow the $30 billion trade imbalance between the two
countries.

In an editorial in Global Times, a pro-government English-language
newspaper published in Beijing, a Chinese policy analyst said that Indian
support had become essential because three-quarters of China's imported
oil passes through the Indian Ocean.

"For a long time, South Asia has been a weak link in China's peripheral
diplomacy," wrote the analyst, Zhao Minghao, an adjunct fellow with the
Center for International and Strategic Studies at Peking University.

Warm ties between South Asian governments and Washington and Tokyo
"sound an alarm for Beijing," he wrote.

"Compared with the U.S. and Japan, China shows more understanding of
the urgent needs of South Asian countries for an economic boost," he
wrote.

Since taking office in May, Modi has surprised many by making foreign
policy a major focus, often taking unexpected risks, like inviting Pakistan's
prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to attend his swearing-in. After early visits to
India's neighbors Bhutan and Nepal, he spent five days as the guest of
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, with whom he shares a bond so
cordial that newspapers have referred to their relationship as a "bromance."

His diplomatic blitz will culminate with a visit to the United States at the end
of the month. The United States has had little opportunity to build a
relationship with Modi, largely because it imposed a punitive visa ban after
religious riots broke out in Modi's home state in 2002. The United States
also lacks the economic leverage of China and Japan, who can offer major
investment in Indian projects.

The United States can, however, throw its support behind some projects
that matter to Modi, like the development of smart cities and the
manufacture of U.S.-designed weapons in India. And whether or not it is
openly discussed, the United States is closely allied with Japan and can
play a balancing role in maritime security disputes with China, a subject
that is clearly on Modi's mind.

Modi gave a hint of his strategic thinking in an address to business leaders
in Tokyo earlier this month. While Modi made no specific mention of China,
his remarks were understood by many as a commentary on Beijing's
military and economic muscle-flexing.

"The world is divided in two camps. One camp believes in expansionist
policies while the other believes in development," Modi said. "We have to
decide whether the world should get caught in the grip of expansionist
policies or we should lead it on the path of development and create
opportunities that take it to greater heights."

(Bree Feng contributed reporting from Beijing, and Hari Kumar from New
Delhi.)

Modi left Gandhi ashram earlier to receive Chinese president at Riverfront park located
just across the river. He welcomed Chinese president and his wife and took them to
walk showcasing the cultural performances of Gujarat. Cultural performances included
Ger dance of Kwant, Maher bravery dance of Porbandar, Dangi tribal dance, Tarnetars
garba dance, Mandvi dance. Chinese presidents wife especially enjoyed watching
Mandvi dance and Dangi dance. One of members of Ger dance group tied wrist belt to
Chinese president.Chinese president was also seen holding umbrella of Tarnetar dance
troupe. Chinese president and his wife enjoyed brief seating on traditional Sankheda
swing. They also had brief seating over chakla bed from Kutch. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi personally guided Chinese president throughout the walk. When they sat at
amphitheater to see Mandvi dance, Chinese presidents wife was especially seen
enjoying the folk music performance. It should be noted that Chinese presidents wife is
herself a popular folk singer in China. Chinese president inquired about lions when he
saw statues of a lion during his walk. After around half an hour walk, Chinese president
was escorted to his tent set up in riverfront park. Shri Modi went to his tent.
It is worth mentioning that Shri Modi has stayed in such royal tents during his visits to
Rann Utsav in Kutch every year. These tents come from Rajathan, and they match with
royal living of medieval rulers of India. However there are all modern amenities
nowadays in such tents.
After some rest in their tents, both leaders along with selected members from both
sides had a dinner in specially set up tent for dinner. These tents are water proof and
they have been set up as monsoon is still alive in Gujarat.
After the dinner, Modi and Jinping standing next to river-fronts upper portion wall
spoke in detail before leaving the venue. Even Jinpings wife was standing at some
distance to leave both leaders just with translators at help. This talk went on too long,
and not cultural but serious bilateral issues were in discussion the body language
suggested.
While pre-dinner event was full of cultural music and dances, the dinner event
witnessed peace and wonderfully designed lighting on riverfront. After the dinner,
cultural performances resumed. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today announced that
the lighting and decor of riverfront will be continued till Diwali festival.
More on dinner event:
The Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping and his wife today had choicest ethnic Gujarati
cuisine, including the famous Thepla-Dhokla in dinner with Indian Prime Minister Mr.
Narendra Modi at the Sabarmati Riverfront Park here this late evening.
The Chinese Head and the First Lady were visibly impressed by the Gujarati delicacies
and a variety entertainment programme by folk dancers from across the state to the
tune of folk songs, he himself humming the Hindi film Awara number, Awara Hoon.
Chinese President Xi Ping today visited Sabarmati Gandhi ashram in
Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi left hotel Grand Hyatt in
advance to reach Gandhi ashram to receive him here. Shri Modi was on
leg with Chief Minister, state Home Secretary and others for over around
15 minutes. Later Chinese Prime Minister arrived in a black Mercedes car.
Shri Modi welcomed Chinese President by offering him khadi garland.
Chief Minister Anandiben also offered khadi garland to Xi Jinping. Thus
Jinping had two garlands over his neck. Jinpings security staff offered to
take away the garlands, but Jinping insisted to continue to wear them,
and throughout his visit to ashram he didnt remove it.
Shri Modi took Jinping who was wearing Khadi jacket to Ahmedabad
gallery of ashram. He personally guided Chinese President and narrated
the details of various panels featuring Mahatma Gandhis years in
Gujarat.
Shri Modi and Jinping walked together and offered flowers to Mahatma
Gandhis statue jointly. They later moved to steps leading to Sabarmati
riverfront. Shri Modi showed Jinping the riverfront park where their next
engagement was scheduled. Shri Modi also narrated some details of the
riverfront development. A lady translator with Chinese president and
Indian translator with Mr. Modi were at help of both leaders.

Through Prarthana bhoomi, they both moved to Hriday Kunj, Gandhijis
home in ashram. Both leaders sat on floor and jointly operated
charkha(spinning wheel). Later Modi took Jinping to inside portion of
Hriday kunj and shower him each and every room including Gandhijis
room which is located on frontal side. Shri Modi presented a copy of year
1908 felicitation letter presented to Mahatma Gandhi by Chinese
community at Johannesburg to Chinese president in a frame. He gifted
Gandhiji in Ahmedabad book to Chinese president and a painting
featuring Dandi march. He also presented a spinning wheel box. Modi
also presented a few small boxes and narrated the details of each gift to
Jinping. Shri Modi gifted Gita book in Chinese to Chinese President.Shri
Modi and Jinping sat on floor again in open porch. Later Shri Modi left the
ashram to reach Sabarmati riverfront to receive Chinese President, while
Jinping passed spent little more time in ashram conversing to minister
Bhupendrasinh Chudasama(in-charge of this part of Jinpings visit) and
state Home Secretary Nanda.
Official note by state government:
The Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Mr.
Narendra Modi today visited the world famous Sabarmati Ashram of
Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, a place inspiring the people world over
even today to take the path of peace and non-violence, in Ahmedabad
this evening.
The dignitaries were welcomed at the Sabarmati Ashram, also known as
Gandhi Ashram, by Gujarat Chief Minister Smt. Anandiben Patel along
with young Harijan girls of the Ashram.
At the Ashram, the Chinese Premier played the Charkha (a traditional
cotton wheel used by Mahatma Gandhiji to weave his clothes) to pay a
rich tribute to Gandhiji. Two dignitaries paid a floral tributes to the statue
of Mahatma Gandhi and offered a cotton thread to Gandhijis photograph.
Mr. Jinping and Mr. Modi spent few moments at the Ashram to experience
the closeness with Gandhiji and his ideology of peace and non-violence.
During their stay, the duo also visited Hridaykunj, a place Gandhiji was
using as home in the Ashram. They also saw the photo exhibition
depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
Later, Mr. Modi gifted a replica of citation awarded to Gandhiji by the
Chinese community in Johannesburg, Africa, in 1908, to Mr. Jinping.
While Ashrams people gifted a book titled as Gandhiji In Ahmedabad
and an oil-painting showing the historical moment of Gandhiji
commencing the famous Dandi March from the Ashram, to the Chinese
President.
The Chinese President described his visit to the Gandhi Ashram as one of
the most memorable and enlightening moments of his life.
The young-girls of the Ashram played Gandhijis most loving and famous
bhajan Vaishnav jan to tane re kahiye je pid parai jane re.
Others who were present on the occasion included, Gujarats Education
Minister Mr. Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, Gujarats Protocol Minister Mr.
Pradipsinh Jadeja, Chief Secretary Dr. Varesh Sinha, Tourism Secretary
Smt. Sonal Mishra and office bearers of the Gandhi Ashram.
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