Meet likely at Mao’s iconic summer villa
The setting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s twoday informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27 and 28 is, aptly, informal: by the scenic East Lake in the historic city of Wuhan and likely at the late Mao Zedong’s private villa, according to people familiar with the matter.
Modi will be flying straight to Wuhan, and the two leaders are expected to get into a huddle immediately after he lands on the afternoon of April 27. He is expected to have another session with Xi on the morning of April 28, and return the same afternoon.
“As the very nature of informal summits goes, it’s all about the leaders discussing issues, sharing their vision in an informal set-up,” said a government official on condition of anonymity.
HT first reported on March 17 that Modi and Xi would meet informally in China.
“The meeting will be at a picturesque locale on the banks of the famous East Lake.
And as informal summits are structured, the meetings are all about the one-to-one engagement of the two leaders,” said a diplomat on condition of anonymity.
The two leaders will have their own interpreters.
The most significant landmark on the banks of the lake is
MODI WILL BE FLYING STRAIGHT TO WUHAN, AND THE TWO LEADERS ARE EXPECTED TO GET INTO A HUDDLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE LANDS ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 27
the famous villa of late Chairman Mao Zedong, Mei Ling, which is lined by Pines, bamboos and plum trees.
It used to the retreat for Chairman Mao and the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
There is another Wuhan connection: it is the home town of Chinese ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui. “It will be an honour for me to see this historic event in my home city”, the envoy said in a video message.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be accompanied by senior officials including national security advisor Ajit Doval.