Ahead of Xi meet, PM tweets in English, Tamil, Mandarin

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.

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.

"Landed in Chennai. I am happy to be in the great land of Tamil Nadu, known for its wonderful culture and hospitality," he 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 Chinese, in an apparent attempt to reach out to the eastern neighbour ahead of his meeting with Jinping on Friday and Saturday.

The two top leaders are expected to discuss various bilateral issues.