President Xi Jinping of communist China very graciously appreciates at least artistic aspects of sculpture & cultural events with religious themes on his India visit

Last updated on 13th Oct. 2019

I saw some or most parts of the two videos below:

PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping visit world heritage sites in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PiqYPLxYEQ, 1 hr 4 mins, streamed live by Narendra Modi on 11th Oct. 2019

PM Modi and President Xi Jinping (attend) cultural event at Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s50IuXQhRNs, around 1 hr 3 mins, published by PMO India on 11th Oct. 2019

I was very happy to see President Xi Jinping of China graciously accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the latter was showing him around the world heritage sites in Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), Tamil Nadu, most, if not all, of which are associated with Indian religion(s) (Hinduism mainly, if not only Hinduism). BTW I would have been similarly happy if it was other Indian religions instead of Hinduism.

President Xi Jinping also was very gracious when he watched the cultural event with religious themes at Shore Temple in Mamallapuram and later joined the artistes for a group photo along with PM Modi.

The Chinese communist party is atheist and, I am quite sure, President Xi Jinping is also an atheist. But an atheist can be gracious towards cultural events and sculpture which have artistic aspects besides religious aspects. The atheist may not believe the religious aspect but surely can appreciate the artistic aspects as well as good triumphing over bad themes.

I think President Xi Jinping was very gracious in participating in these events and appreciating at least the artistic aspects. As a staunch theist and an Indian, I very much appreciate the leader of communist China showing such graciousness towards sculpture and cultural events with religious themes while visiting India.

I must also say that PM Modi looked great in a veshti (white dhoti, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhoti)! I am wearing a veshti at home as I am typing this post. BTW I am a Tamil guy, whose family ancestors moved from Tamil Nadu in early 1800s to Kerala, and then later moved to Bombay/Mumbai perhaps sometime in the 1930s to 1940s. I was born & bred in Bombay but have these Tamil roots. So I very much enjoyed PM Modi putting on a Tamil attire and hosting President Xi Jinping in Tamil Nadu.
=============================
Update on 13th Oct. 2019

An interesting article that appeared in The Hindu print newspaper of 12th Oct., by a former UN diplomat who now is a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing: Towards an Asian Century, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/towards-an-asian-century/article29660304.ece

Some points made by the article:

* The author says that the Chinese communist government drew a lesson from the collapse of the Soviet Union (in 1991) "that legitimacy (for the Chinese communist government) will only come from continued growth in household incomes and that people must be rich before they get old".

* Two important goals of the Chinese (communist party) are: Eliminating poverty by 2021 and establishing an advanced socialist nation by 2049.

* Children of Chinese urban middle class now want middle class employment. In the past few years, Tsinghua university students are worried that they are not getting the jobs they want.

* "China recognises that it will achieve its goals only if there is an ‘Asian Century’ and needs to work with the other civilisational power, India, now talking of its own model of global order. The two orders can overlap in certain sectors and areas."
-------

Fisherman's cove visit by President Xi Jinping and PM Modi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFAi6bwWvx0, 13 min. 24 secs.

They go to Machan Hall which has a beautiful view of the Bay of Bengal in a golf cart (which seems to be an electric one).

------

Opening statements by PM Modi and President Xi Jinping before their delegation level talks with PM Modi speaking in Hindi, and President Xi Jinping's words being translated to English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1J2uWK0yLE, 7 min . 17 secs, published by Rajya Sabha TV on 12th Oct. 2019.

President Xi Jinping speaks very appreciatively of the hospitality he and his team enjoyed in this visit. Both leaders speak very optimistically about China-India relations which is very good to see. I think peaceful, warm and prosperous China-India relations will be good for the whole world.

-----

MEA briefs media on delegation level talks between PM Modi and Chinese President, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkKe7vsjfPg, around 34 mins, published by DD News on 12th Oct. 2019.

-----