Chennai Connect: Modi, Xi talk trade, closer ties
India, China build on big takeaways from the Wuhan spirit
India and China on Saturday unveiled a new highlevel mechanism to address trade-related concerns and boost commerce after an informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to consolidate strategic communications on issues ranging from defence to counterterrorism.
The Kashmir issue, the subject of a testy exchange between the two sides in the run-up to the second informal summit between the two leaders in the seaside resort in Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram, wasn’t raised or discussed, according to foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale.
The first informal summit, held in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year, had helped reset ties after the military face-off at Doklam in 2017, and Modi spoke about the “Chennai Connect” from the Mamallapuram summit marking a new era of cooperation between India and China.
Modi and Xi spent close to six hours in one-on-one conversations since the Chinese President arrived in Chennai on Friday, including 90 minutes of discussions on Saturday, and people familiar with the developments said the discussions focused on consolidating the strategic communications and guidance that had been a key outcome of the Wuhan summit.
Xi endorsed the idea of continuing with the informal summits and invited Modi to China for the next edition in 2020. Modi, who accepted the invitation, said in his opening remarks at the delegation-level talks that the Wuhan summit led to “increased stability and fresh momentum” in relations.
“We had decided that we will prudently manage our differences, and not allow them to become disputes, we will remain sensitive about each other’s concerns and that our relations will lead to peace and stability across the world,” Modi said.
“The Wuhan spirit gave a new momentum and trust to our relations. Today, our Chennai Connect will lead to the start of a new era of cooperation between the two countries,” he added.
An official who did not wish to be named said: “It was all about how differences shouldn’t be allowed to dominate the entire relationship... It was about putting ring fences around contentious issues.” Another person with direct knowledge of the discussions, who too spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Chinese side had apparently decided not to raise the Kashmir issue as the president had stated his position in public remarks and the joint release issued during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Beijing this week.
Describing the discussions as “good and comfortable”, this person said: “There were no sharp edges in the meeting and everything was rounded.”
The two leaders agreed to set up the High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue mechanism, to be led by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and vice premier Hu Chunhua, to enhance trade relations and discuss all related matters.