Modi-Xi summit a chance for genuine dialogue: US experts

The informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan will provide an opportunity to the two leaders to begin a "genuine" dialogue about issues in SinoIndian ties, top US experts have said.

Modi and Xi will hold the two-day informal summit in the central Chinese city of Wuhan from Friday during which both the leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences, reports PTI.

While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, both sides have indicated that the meeting is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations.

"The informal format of the Modi-Xi summit provides an opportunity for the two leaders to begin a genuine dialogue about problems in their bilateral relationship," said Bonnie S Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia and the director of the China Power Project at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top American think-tank.

"That said, I doubt progress will be made in any of the major friction areas. Beijing is unlikely to change its position on India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Glaser told PTI.

Similarly, New Delhi probably won't alter its stance on Xi's pet project Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), she noted.

"China may warn India to not participate in anti-China schemes such as the Quad and the Free and Open IndoPacific Strategy,” Glaser said.

The BRI's flagship project, the USD 50 billion ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties.