Yoga, Tai Chi, Pagoda tour on PM Modi’s China agenda

Beijing: Pillars of India’s soft power such as Buddhism and Yoga will take centre stage during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China next month as President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang will join him at some high-profile events tracing the roots of cultural links between the two countries.

While Xi is expected to take Modi to the Wild Goose Pagoda, a spiritual structure in the ancient city of Xian, built to highlight famous Chinese Buddhist monk Xuan Zang’s journey to India in 645 AD, Li will join Modi at the iconic Temple of Heaven in Beijing for a public demonstration of Yoga and the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi.

Hectic preparations are underway for Modi’s visit expected to take place from May 14-16 during which he would visit Xian, the capital of Xi’s home province Shaanxi, followed by Beijing and Shanghai.

While officials were tight-lipped about the programme, the visit was expected to be high on optics with rare outings of Chinese leaders accompanying visiting dignitaries.