Xi accorded grand welcome in Ahmedabad

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Gujarat Wednesday to a ceremonial welcome on the first leg of his three-day India visit that is aimed at ramping up trade and investment ties with India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Chinese president and his wife Peng Liyuan at Hotel Hyatt where the two leaders held talks, and agreements related to the region, including setting up of Chinese industrial parks, were inked.

A guard of honour was presented to Xi on the tarmac of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport of Ahmedabad and he was received by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

The chief minister later tweeted: "Privileged to welcome President Xi Jinping & First Lady of China on their historic visit to Gujarat - the land of Gandhi and Sardar."

After welcoming the Chinese president at the hotel, Modi took him around a pictorial gallery featuring Vadnagar, Modi's hometown, and its Buddhist links. Seventh century Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang had visited Vadnagar during his 15-year stay in the country.

Modi had tweeted about Vadnagar and its Buddhist heritage Sep 15.

Clad in his iconic half-sleeve kurta and a wood coloured jacket, Modi interacted warmly with Xi.

Xi flew down to Ahmedabad from Colombo, becoming the first world leader to begin an India visit from Gujarat.

Huge hoardings of the Chinese president, his wife, Modi and the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel adorned the commercial capital of Gujarat.

Xi is to spend six hours in Ahmedabad, that will see him visiting Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram. Later he will attend a private dinner at the Sabarmati Riverfront park developed by Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.

The Sabarmati riverfront is a pet project of Modi and was developed on the line of the Thames river of London.

The Sabarmati Riverfront has now been put on the international map, thanks to the visit of Xi.

As many as 150 Gujarati dishes are on the menu for Wednesday night's dinner, being prepared by a team of experts from different parts of Gujarat.

Modi's personal cook Badri will oversee the food section.

In the evening, the two leaders leave for Delhi.

On Thursday, Modi and Xi would hold talks which would be followed by the signing of several agreements, including on infrastructure and railways, between the two sides.

Among the accords expected to be inked during Xi's visit here is a sister city agreement between Ahmedabad and China's developed Guangdong province. - IANS