india

Updated: Sep 20, 2019 23:35 IST

Ahead of the bilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping in early October, an official delegation from Beijing arrived on Friday at the ancient heritage town of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu, about 56 km from Chennai, which will host the high profile event.

The annual summit is slated from October 11 to 13 and the Chinese team was here to assess the topography, logistics and security details as well the facilities. Top revenue and police officials accompanied the delegation.

Comprising about 30 members, drawn from the Chinese Ministries of External Affairs, Home and Tourism besides those from the security establishment, the delegation visited select places and three star hotels, official sources here said.

Since the two leaders are expected to stay at the hotels in Mamallapuram, their suitability was also inspected. Further, the team visited the iconic shore temple, rock cut temples and Pancha Pandava rathas as well as Draupadi rath besides Arjuna’s penance, sculpted out of a massive single rock. A visit to these Pallava era cultural treasures is part of the itinerary of Modi and Xi summit.

During the first informal summit at Wuhan in China last year, the leaders visited the Hubei provincial museum. The annual bilateral summit is “to exchange views on overarching issues of bilateral and global importance, and to present their respective visions and priorities for national development in the context of the current and future international situation,” according to the Union External Affairs Ministry.

While official confirmation is yet to be received, Union Home Ministry officials are in regular touch with the officials and top police brass of Tamil Nadu on the preparedness and arrangements for the event.

Recently, top state government officials held discussions with the officials from IB, RAW, Tamil Nadu Q-branch police, besides officers from the SPG, in charge of the Prime Minister’s security, officials from MEA and consular officers from both sides.

Security, travel logistics, the places to be visited by the two leaders were discussed at the meeting.

Mamallapuram, once a thriving port city and the capital of the Pallava dynasty, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is renowned for the shore temple. It continues to draw tourists in large numbers from home and abroad.

The first ever Defence Expo was also held in Mamallapuram last year and it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi.