‘Make in India’ invite for Chinese

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

Beijing, May 25

President Pranab Mukherjee today arrived in Beijing where the Chinese rolled out the old luxury vehicle, the Russian-made Zil, to greet him all complete with a red carpet. Russia, Cuba and Vietnam are a few other Communist regimes that still roll out the luxurious Zil to honour guests.

The old-world charm of communism was alive and kicking as the President flew in from Guangzhou, where he attended the plenary session of the business forum meeting and made a pitch for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet ‘Make in India’ project. “We believe that stepping up our two-way trade and investment flows will be of mutual benefit to both our nations. We welcome Chinese investments and entrepreneurs to participate in ‘Make in India’ and other flagship initiatives of the Government of India,” he said.

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During his meeting with Hu Chunhua, Communist party secretary of Guangzhou province, who also hosted a lunch in the President’s honour, the talks revolved around India’s economic policies. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, while briefing the media, said the President explained to Chunhua new initiatives such as “Make in India” and “Digital India” in the context of foreign investment.

The President recalled one of his earlier visits to Guangzhou as Foreign Minister. He was also there for the opening of the Indian Consulate there. The President recalled one of his earlier visits as External Affairs Minister to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, and his opening of the Indian Consulate here.

Chunhua told Mukherjee that after the Japanese and the Koreans, Indians accounted for the largest foreign population in Guangdong and their role was highly appreciated.

The President also visited the Hualin temple in Guangzhou before his departure for Beijing. The Hualin temple commemorates the arrival of Bodhidharma (who was later to found Zen Buddhism in China) to Guangzhou from India around 525 AD.  The President gifted a bronze Buddha statue at the temple which had been made months in advance for Mukherjee’s visit to the Hualin temple. Addressing a reception for cultural and academic and eminent personalities in Beijing, he said: “As India pursues its primary goal of building a modern India, peace, prosperity and sustainable development, we seek to engage with China in a spirit of equality and friendship.”