Xi, Modi hold informal talks aimed at mending relations
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Oct 13, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is here for an informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, was on a cleaning spree on Saturday morning at the Mamallapuram beach.
They included topics on overarching, long-term and strategic issues of global and regional importance, that are necessary for a rule-based worldwide order.
Last year's meet in Wuhan between the two leaders was considered a landmark meet credited to have turned around the bilateral relations soured by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff.
The Chinese President suggested that both countries should carry out strategic communication in a timely and effective manner. He recalled their first informal summit at China's Wuhan a year ago that gave "a fresh momentum" and boosted "strategic communication between our two countries". In his post-summit remarks, Modi said the leaders made a decision to prudently manage their differences and remain attuned to each other's concerns.
In the Shore Temple on the coast of the Indian Ocean, Xi and Modi talked about the domestic development of China and India and exchanged experience in state governance.
India and China, both in the process of national rejuvenation, are facing many similar challenges, he said, adding that India is willing to deepen and expand pragmatic cooperation with China, and learn from each other in their exchanges.
On Friday, Modi held the second informal summit with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mahabalipuram. The two leaders witnessed a live demonstration of handloom weaving by a weaver. After the summit, Chinese president left for Nepal.
However, he added that President Xi did mention the visit of the Pakistan Prime Minister to China earlier this week.
Briefing media at Mamallapuram, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said both the leaders engaged themselves in one on one interactions for over six hours.
Recently, at the World Economic Forum, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal stated: "Huawei over the last 10 or 12 years has become extremely good with their product, to a point where I can safely say today their product is significantly superior to Ericsson and Nokia".
India and China plan to set up a new mechanism to discuss ways and means to reduce trade deficit ($53 billion), enhance mutual trade, investment and services. The second aim would be to increase investments in selected sectors "through the development of a manufacturing partnership".
When queried on the escalating trade war between the US-China, and the likely impact on the Indio-China trade, Gokhale said that there was no direct bearing on India-China trade on what is happening between the US and China. As countries that are large and diverse, they recognised the importance of continuing to make joint efforts to ensure that the global community strengthens the framework against training, financing and supporting terrorist groups throughout the world and on a non-discriminatory basis.
They welcomed the work of the Special Representatives to find a permanent solution to border issue and reiterated that both sides will continue to work on additional Confidence Building Measures in this direction.