CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chose the three languages of English, Tamil and Mandarin to wish his second informal meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping further strengthened bilateral ties.
He used the three languages to welcome Xi to India.
The coastal town of Mamallapuram, fortified and all decked up, will host the two leaders for their second informal summit, with Modi and Xi having earlier met in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year.
"Welcome to India, President Xi Jinping!," Modi tweeted in English, sharing similar messages in Tamil and Mandarin.
Earlier in the day also, he had taken to Twitter to announce his arrival here to participate in the meet with Xi.
"Landed in Chennai. I am happy to be in the great land of Tamil Nadu, known for its wonderful culture and hospitality," he had said in tweets in English, Tamil and Mandarin.
"It is gladdening that Tamil Nadu will host President Xi Jinping. May this Informal Summit further strengthen ties between India and China," he added.
Of late, Modi has been laying a lot of stress on Tamil, which was evident during his speeches in and about the language during his September US visit, besides his official engagements in this city last week.
On Friday, Modi also tweeted in Mandarin, in an apparent attempt to reach out to the eastern neighbour ahead of his meeting with Xi on Friday and Saturday.
The two top leaders are expected to discuss various bilateral issues.