Xi Jinping’s India Visit Dominates China’s News Cycles
Chinese state broadcasters offered the same level of detail as Indian news channels on describing Xi’s route to Mahabalipuram from the airport. The choice of venue was also discussed in a state media report.
India dominated headlines of the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, a video released by a Chinese state tabloid featured Indian people saying “I love China”, and 360-degree panoramic views of Chennai’s landmark sites were captured by a Chinese news agency.
Elsewhere, Buddhism, Bollywood and Aamir Khan featured in varying degrees, alongside pieces on Chennai-Fujian ties that date back to the Tang Dynasty. The Tamil film industry too caught a mention.
As the second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping took place on Friday and Saturday, the Chinese state media plastered front pages and online resources with content capturing Xi’s time in Tamil Nadu.
‘Xi given warm welcome in India,’ read China Daily’s front-page headline, which noted that such a summit is “expected to enhance political trust between the world’s two most populous countries.” People’s Daily, the CCP’s official mouthpiece carried two photos on its front page of Modi and Xi shaking hands, and of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami handing over a bouquet of pink flowers. “The president received a warm welcome on his arrival, with local people holding up photos of the two leaders and waving the countries’ national flags along the roads,” said a piece in China Daily.