PM: Informal summits should be a tradition

Modi, Xi to have walk by lakeside in Wuhan on Day 2

NEW DELHI/WUHAN, APRIL 27 On the first day of the two-day Sino-Indian informal summit at the top leadership level in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the centuries-old Sino-Indian ties, telling Chinese President Xi Jinping that the two countries have a “big opportunity” to work together for the benefit of their people and the world.

Modi was welcomed with a classical Chinese dance opera performance, after which President Xi took him around some of the most historic art collections and cultural relics of China’s ancient civilisation. The museum walk planned for 20 minutes lasted for over 40 minutes, after which they began one-on-one talks. MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that the two leaders “had exchanged views on solidifying our bilateral relationship”.

During the delegation level interaction as part of an unprecedented informal summit with President Xi, which included six senior officials from each side, Mr Modi said such informal summits should become a tradition between the two countries. “I’ll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such an informal summit in India,” Mr Modi told President Xi. On his part, President Xi said the two countries have established a closer partnership and made positive progress in recent years. “In the past five years, we have achieved a lot. We have met each other on many occasions,” he said.

This indicates the two giant neighbours are trying to put their ties back on track after the bitterness of the Sino-Indian military standoff last year at Doklam in Bhutanese territory.

The two leaders will continue their one-onone interaction on Saturday, with walks by the lakeside at Wuhan as well as a boat ride and wind up their talks over lunch, official sources said. Sources had said earlier this week that the informal summit was planned with the objective of “strategic communication” between the two countries at the top leadership level and for the two leaders to understand each other’s “vision”.

President Xi said: “Our two countries have established closer partnership and cooperation. We have made positive progress. India and China have a combined population of 2.6 billion, which provides enormous potential for development. The influence of our two countries is steadily rising in the region and the world.”