Xi meets Modi, eyes new chapter in ties

​Wuhan: President Xi Jinping sought to open a “new chapter” in relations between China and India as he hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for a summit aimed at mending ties strained by a border dispute. Xi greeted Modi at a Hubei province museum in the city of Wuhan for what has been billed as 'heart-to-heart' meeting that will continue on Saturday.

While last year’s high-altitude standoff in the Himalayas has been resolved, the world’s most populous countries have a long history of mistrust. New Delhi has also raised concerns about Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative, a global trade infrastructure programme that includes a major project through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied.

Friday’s meeting included the museum tour, a meeting and dinner. On Saturday, they will walk along the East Lake, ride a boat and have lunch together, according to the Indian leader’s official agenda.
“I hope that the Prime Minister and I can open a new chapter in Sino-Indian relations during this meeting,” Xi said.

The Chinese leader said the two sides have established a good working relationship and Beijing was willing to build a closer partnership and cooperation in all fields. “I want to make our countries’ friendly relations ceaselessly grow stronger, to make them rush forward without pause like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, eternally moving forward,” Xi said.

Modi thanked Xi for meeting him twice outside Beijing, telling the Chinese leader: “This in itself shows love and affection towards India.” “The people of India feel really proud that I’m maybe the first Prime Minister of India, for whom, you (Chinese President) have come out of the capital twice to receive me,” Modi said during delegation level talks.

“I hope such informal summits becomes a tradition between both the countries. I’ll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such informal summit in India, said Modi in Wuhan. With 40% of the world’s population, India and China have a responsibility to fix the world’s many problems, Modi said, adding that the meeting was a “great opportunity” to do so.

Invoking Xi’s political slogan and his own, Modi said: “Together your ‘new era’ dream and our ‘new India’ effort will be the right step for the benefit of the world.” But neither leader directly mentioned the border row or other sources of tension in their remarks.