Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit sparked widespread discussion across Chinese social media platforms, with several hashtags about his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin drawing attention on Weibo.
Weibo trends highlight Modi’s visit
On Weibo, China’s leading microblogging site, a hashtag that translates to “Modi takes Putin’s car” gained prominence, drawing users to clips and posts about the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Putin in Tianjin.
Another Weibo topic, “Modi arrives in Tianjin,” also gained traction, featuring videos and images of his arrival for the summit.
One user on the platform reportedly remarked, “Modi rides Putin’s car that’s more symbolic than any speech at the summit”.
A video released by the Indian Embassy in China further amplified the buzz, showing Modi being warmly welcomed in Tianjin. The post was picked up by Chinese platforms, with state-linked outlets placing the coverage among top stories, underscoring the diplomatic significance of the visit.
Baidu, Weibo trends
According to media reports, the Modi–Putin camaraderie was also reflected on Baidu, China’s largest search engine, where the top trend reportedly read: “Modi and Putin hugged and chatted hand-in-hand.”
Similarly, another Weibo topic – “Modi is positive about China” – was said to have attracted over seven million views. However, these particular claims could not be independently verified from Chinese platforms at the time of writing.
Nevertheless, PM Modi’s recent SCO appearance sparked online traction in China, with Weibo hot-topic pages on his arrival and interactions. The coverage suggests a genuine interest in his presence in the neighbouring country. After a seven-year gap, Modi visited Tianjin to attend the SCO Summit and meet with leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Before this, he travelled to Qingdao for the SCO Summit in 2018.
The visit and PM Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping assumed significance as it came after the post-Galwan clash strain in bilateral ties. The move also comes amid India’s present trade and tariff tensions with the United States.
