Chinese President arrives today

Ahmedabad: Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive here on Wednesday on a three-day visit which will focus on significantly ramping up trade and investment, besides addressing the contentious border issue that has seen occasional flare ups between the two Asian giants.

India expects that the visit will address the "interests and concerns" of both the countries and that "all substantive" issues having bearing on the ties including the boundary dispute will be discussed.

Keen to boost its trade ties with India, the Chinese side has already indicated that it will pledge to invest billions of dollars in India's railway, manufacturing and infrastructure projects during the Xi's visit, the third by any Chinese President to India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has already arrived here to welcome Xi, said India seeks greater engagement with China but at the same time sought progress on "issues of concern" saying their resolution will transform the atmosphere in the relations.

"I am looking forward to deepening our engagement across the full spectrum of our bilateral relations, but also seeking progress on issues of concern, because resolution of these issues will transform the atmosphere in our relations and allow us to realise the full potential of our relations," he said.

Modi will welcome Xi, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation including two senior members of Polit Bureau and the Chinese Commerce Minister, at his hotel here tomorrow, which will also be the Prime Minister's 64th birthday.

Xi will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram and will spend some time along with Modi who will host a private dinner for the Chinese President at the Sabarmati riverfront.

Xi will leave for Delhi after the dinner here. Modi and Xi will hold extensive talks on Thursday in Delhi following which they are expected to sign a number of pacts which will provide for Chinese investments in a range of areas including railways and industrial parks.