The Wuhan summit will see Modi and Xi discussing issues ranging from Trump's trade policies, protectionism, globalisation, Xi's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative to the border dispute
The informal two-day Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping summit commenced on Friday in the Chinese city of Wuhan, with the Indian Prime Minister and Chinese President holding a one-on-one meeting after a formal greeting at the Hubei Provincial Museum. The meeting will be different from past such encounters as the talks will be freewheeling, instead of being choreographed. Further, only one Mandarin-speaking Indian interpreter will be present.
Ahead of the Modi-Xi talks, Chinese media was largely optimistic of its outcome and stressed the need for setting aside differences to focus on cooperation. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Wuhan a little past midnight on Friday. Before departing for China, Modi had said President Xi and he "will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance" at the summit and "review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective".
The Wuhan summit will see Modi and Xi reportedly discuss issues ranging from US President Donald Trump's trade policies, protectionism, globalisation, Xi's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the India-China border dispute, even as the two leaders take lakeside walks and boat rides together.
With the future of Sino-Indian ties hanging in the balance, Chinese President Xi is hosting Modi for the informal summit where officials said the two leaders would spend most of their time interacting in one-on-one conversations. According to official statements from both sides, the Modi-Xi summit aims to create a broad framework for India-China ties and build trust between the two leaders. The summit is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties, which have faced stumbling blocks and were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year.
Even though official sources have said that the Modi-Xi summit will eschew looking into specific issues in favour of the big picture of India-China ties, a section of the Chinese media has accorded high importance to the summit. The Modi-Xi Jinping Wuhan summit could be as significant as the one between former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then leader of China Deng Xiaoping in 1988, the official Chinese media commented on Tuesday. "The meeting can be as significant as the one in 1988 when Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi met, and will set the course for bilateral ties," an op-ed in Global Times said.
Here are the top 10 developments around the two-day Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping Wuhan summit in China that starts today:
1) Modi, Xi hold one-on-one meeting at Wuhan: Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi on Friday began their two-day informal summit with a one-on-one meeting in China's Wuhan. Before the one-on-one, the leaders witnessed a cultural programme at the Hubei Provincial Museum. Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui tweeted: "First handshake between President Xi and PM Modi in Wuhan, where they will make history. Let us expect together."
Modi-Xi talks to begin after a tour of Hubei Provincial Museum: Modi arrived at picturesque Wuhan city in Central China past midnight on Friday for the two-day informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi will commence his meetings with Xi at 3:30 pm on Friday at the Hubei Provincial Museum. After touring the museum for about an hour, Modi and Xi, accompanied by six top officials from each side, will hold talks at the sprawling East Lake Guest House, where Xi is staying. This will be followed by the leaders' walk. Dinner will be hosted by Chinese President Xi at the guest house in central Wuhan.
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