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Chinese President Xi Jinping begins India visit Chinese President Xi Jinping begins India visit
(about 17 hours later)
China's President Xi Jinping has begun his first official visit to India, with a focus on improving trade ties and resolving the decades-old dispute over border areas. China's President Xi Jinping has begun his first official visit to India for talks expected to focus on improving trade and boosting Chinese investment.
China is one of India's top trading partners and the Asian neighbours are the world's most populous countries. He is expected to pledge billions of dollars in investment, including plans for Chinese-funded industrial parks.
The two countries disagree over the demarcation of several Himalayan border areas and fought a brief war in 1962. President Xi's plane landed in Gujarat, home state of India's PM Narendra Modi, who has also vowed to deepen ties.
Tensions over the issue still flare up from time to time. China is one of India's top trading partners but they vie for regional influence and dispute their border.
Beijing and Delhi have held numerous rounds of border talks, but all have been unsuccessful so far.
Mr Xi's visit comes amid unconfirmed reports in the Indian media of a new face-off on the border.Mr Xi's visit comes amid unconfirmed reports in the Indian media of a new face-off on the border.
The reports said that Indian troops had spotted their Chinese counterparts trying to construct a temporary road into the Indian territory across the Line of Actual Control (the de facto boundary) in the Ladakh region. The reports said Indian troops had spotted their Chinese counterparts trying to construct a temporary road into Indian territory across the Line of Actual Control (the de facto boundary) in the Ladakh region.
Ties between the two countries have received a boost under the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has pledged to revitalise the economy and deepen ties with China during his term of office. Despite the continuing tensions, trade between India and China has reached close to $70bn (£43bn) a year, although India's trade deficit has climbed to more than $40bn from $1bn in 2001-2002.
In July, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the sixth Brics summit in Brazil and stressed the need to boost bilateral relations. 'Two bodies, one spirit'
'Creating history' Mr Xi flew in from Sri Lanka. He was greeted at Ahmedabad airport by Gujarat government officials and inspected a guard of honour.
Mr Xi began his three-day visit in the western state of Gujarat, where he will attend a banquet in the evening to be hosted by Mr Modi. The reception coincides with Mr Modi's 64th birthday. He was then received at his hotel by Mr Modi, and in the evening was due to attend a banquet in his honour coinciding with Mr Modi's 64th birthday.
Mr Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat for over a decade before leading his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a landslide win in the May general election and becoming prime minister. Mr Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat for more than a decade before leading his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a landslide win in May.
The choice of Gujarat as Mr 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. He is well known to the Chinese, after making five trips to China while in charge of Gujarat, and has said he would like to replicate China's manufacturing prowess in India.
Mr Xi will travel to Delhi on Thursday, and is expected to hold talks with Mr Modi focussing on trade, infrastructure and border disputes. During his three-day visit, Mr Xi is due to travel to Delhi to hold official talks with Mr Modi and meet other Indian leaders.
Although trade between India and China has reached close to $70bn (£43bn), India's trade deficit has climbed to over $40bn from $1bn in 2001-2002, according to official Indian figures. Writing in The Hindu newspaper ahead of his visit, Mr Xi said he appreciated Mr Modi's comment that "China and India are two bodies, one spirit".
Indian media reports said that China could pledge billions of dollars to India's creaky railway, manufacturing and infrastructure projects during Mr Xi's visit. "The combination of the 'world's factory' and the 'world's back office' will produce the most competitive production base and the most attractive consumer market," he wrote.
Indian media reports say China is expected to pledge funds to help India's creaky railway, manufacturing and infrastructure projects during Mr Xi's visit.
Earlier this month, Mr Modi's five-day trip to Japan was seen as an attempt by the two democracies to balance the rising weight of China across Asia.Earlier this month, Mr Modi's five-day trip to Japan was seen as an attempt by the two democracies to balance the rising weight of China across Asia.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to raise public and private investment and financing from Japan to $33.6bn within five years, and Delhi and Tokyo set a target to double Japan's direct investment in India in that period from some $2bn last year.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to raise public and private investment and financing from Japan to $33.6bn within five years, and Delhi and Tokyo set a target to double Japan's direct investment in India in that period from some $2bn last year.
Correspondents say Mr Xi is expected to pledge investments matching or exceeding Japan's - a sign, they say, of how Mr Modi has been able to leverage the rivalry between China and Japan to maximise gains for India.Correspondents say Mr Xi is expected to pledge investments matching or exceeding Japan's - a sign, they say, of how Mr Modi has been able to leverage the rivalry between China and Japan to maximise gains for India.
"China, I think, is conscious that we have a good equation with Japan," Jayadev Ranade of the Delhi-based think-tank Centre for China Analysis and Strategy told the Associated Press news agency. The Chinese leader's visit is also being billed as a chance to reset often troubled relations between the world's two most populous countries, who disagree over the demarcation of several Himalayan border areas and fought a brief war in 1962.
Tensions over the issue still flare up from time to time and numerous rounds of border talks have been unsuccessful.
Relations have also been dogged over the years by China's backing for India's neighbour Pakistan.