Modi arrives in China for three-day visit, gets warm welcome

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China on the first leg of his three-nation tour on Thursday. At the airport of Xian city, hometown of China President Xi Jinping, he was welcomed by a group of Chinese children, who performed a traditional dance.

Modi, 64, was also greeted by Chinese officials at the tarmac.

The Prime Minister reached China a short while ago. pic.twitter.com/tCiYOZa687

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 13, 2015

After his arrival, clad in a crisp white kurta and chudidaar, Modi visited the much famed Terracotta Army museum, which houses a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

The ‘Terracotta Warriors and Horses’ Museum, a UNESCO world heritage site, is a form of funerary art buried with the Emperor in 210–209 BC whose purpose was to protect the Emperor in his afterlife.

The army was created to help the Emperor rule in the afterlife. Chinese records state that the site was discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well.

Walking with Warriors. pic.twitter.com/J1wo6kTW3Q

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2015

Modi also signed the visitor’s book at the museum in which he wrote: “The Terracotta Army is a heritage of the world. It is a testimony to China’s civilizational achievements. I am deeply impressed by t he extraordinary care with which this precious heritage has been preserved.”

Sharing thoughts in the visitors book. pic.twitter.com/vC1GLBgP5l

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 14, 2015

Later on, he also visited Daxingshan Temple and saw translations of Buddhist sutras, which were brought by a monk to Xian from India
thousands of years ago.

Famous Buddhist teacher Dharmagupta came to Xian from Gujarat in 590 CE & translated 12 Sanskrit works into Chinese pic.twitter.com/EMacoF51XF

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2015

The Indian Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet Xi later in the afternoon, in an unusual departure from the protocol as top Chinese leaders almost never travel outside Beijing to meet senior foreign guests on bilateral visits.

Modi, who will be in China till May 16, will visit Beijing and Shanghai.

Meanwhile, during his visit, Modi and Xi are expected to address the contentious border issue, which has been hampering negotiations since 13 years.

China's Ambassador to India, Le Yucheng, told a news channel that deals worth $10 billion were also expected to be signed during Indian PM’s visit.

When Xi had visited India last year in September, China had announced $20 billion in investments over five years, including setting up of two industrial parks.