Yoga becoming popular in China, my wife practises it: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday said yoga is gaining immense popularity in China and that his wife, Peng Liyuan, was learning and practising it.

Xi conveyed this to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan who called on him at his hotel here.

The Chinese president, while responding to Mahajan's emphasis on the role of yoga in building character, spirituality and sound mental and physical health, observed that yoga was gaining immense popularity in China and that his spouse too was learning and practising yoga, said an official statement.

Mahajan held comprehensive discussions with Xi on a variety of issues ranging from bilateral economic engagement, culture, youth development, to clean energy and yoga.

Mahajan said that historically, visits of scholars, traders and historians, more notably of eminent travelers like Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang, had laid the deep-rooted foundation of people to people contact between India and China, and trade and cultural links between the two countries thus go back to ancient times.

She felt that strengthening of cultural and traditional relations based on intrinsic human values was the need of the hour in the context of bilateral relationship and emphasized that as both countries had resurgent youth populations, there was an imperative to promote and reinforce youth exchange programmes.

The Lok Sabha speaker was of the opinion that youth development and skills development were the priority areas that would in the near future pave the way for consolidating economic ties between the countries.

She also made a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" campaign to be launched throughout the country.

The Lok Sabha speaker presented a Maheshwari stole and a peacock wall hanging to the Chinese president and his wife.