Masks, banana leaves and more: Around 2000 students welcome Chinese Prez in unique way

Chennai: Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India, around 2000 school students in Chennai wore his masks and made a formation to welcome him in the city.

With Xi's photo in the backdrop, children stood in a pattern to say "welcome" in Chinese, "hearty welcome" was also written in yellow close to the formation of the pupils who were dressed in red t-shirts.

Preparations are being done at Chennai Airport ahead of Xi's arrival. The Chinese President will visit Chennai from October 11-12 for the second Informal Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him.

Security has been heightened at the airport and flags of India and China have been put up around the area.

Moreover, the airport is being decked up traditionally with banana leaves, flower garlands, and fruits.

The second informal summit will be held in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. The two leaders had their first inaugural informal summit in China's Wuhan on April 27 and 28 last year.

The forthcoming Chennai informal summit will provide an opportunity to the two leaders to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.