Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to a symbolic gesture from Beijing, the Chinese government provided him with its prestigious “Made in China” Hongqi car, the same luxury vehicle favoured by President Xi Jinping during official engagements.
The Hongqi L5, often referred to as the “Red Flag,” carries deep national pride in China. First introduced in 1958 by the state-owned First Automotive Works (FAW), the car has long been associated with the Communist Party elite. Notably, Xi used the Hongqi when he visited Modi in Mahabalipuram in 2019, according to India Today.
In contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen travelling across the port city in his presidential “Aurus,” a retro-styled luxury car produced by Russia’s Aurus Motors. His vehicle bore Chinese diplomatic licence plates during the visit.
Modi–Xi Talks
On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi held wide-ranging discussions with President Xi on the sidelines of the summit. The two leaders vowed to work towards a “fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable” resolution of their long-standing boundary dispute. They also pledged to cooperate in stabilising global trade at a time of turbulence driven by tariff conflicts with Washington.
Underscoring that India and China should be seen as development partners rather than rivals, both leaders stressed that differences must not escalate into disputes. Modi pointed out that New Delhi and Beijing both pursue strategic autonomy and that their bilateral relations should not be viewed through the lens of a third country, according to an Indian readout of the talks.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the discussions emphasised the need to expand common ground on key global challenges, including terrorism and the pursuit of fair trade in multilateral platforms.
Both leaders also welcomed the positive momentum in relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October last year, with the MEA highlighting the “steady progress” achieved since then.
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