Xi to meet Modi for second informal summit tomorrow
| Date :10-Oct-2019 |
NEW DELHI :
Trade, political relations and ways to deal with terror are expected to be discussed in
Modi-Xi summit Maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border will also be discussed in the meet
According to sources, Kashmir, Article 370 not to figure in talks
CHINESE President Xi Jinping will visit India from October 11 to 12 for the second informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday. It said that the forthcoming informal summit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance. “At the invitation of the Prime Minister, the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping will be visiting Chennai, India from October 11-12, 2019 for the 2nd informal summit,” the Ministry said.
The summit will be held in the coastal town of Mamallapuram. The summit will be a continuation of the Wuhan meeting. During the summit the two countries will exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the Ministry said. Sources indicated that the Modi-Xi summit will be to find broad pathways to deepen ties. Trade, political relations and ways to deal with terror are expected to be discussed in the Modi-Xi summit, they said. Maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border will also be discussed in the meet. “India is looking at additional Confidence Building Measures for peace along the border,” the sources added. Meanwhile, sources made it clear that Kashmir and Article 370 would not be discussed between the two leaders.
"India has made its position very clear (on Article 370), that it relates to the Indian Constitution, which is a sovereign function. And thus the issue of discussion on it does not arise," sources said here. "In case President Xi wants to understand the issue, then we will explain it,” the sources added. On the issue of the creation of a Union Territory of Ladakh, following revocation of Article 370 and to which China had objected, the sources added that the step was taken in keeping with the demands of the local populace for more development and rights.
China has been explained India's position that it does not alter the external boundary, the sources added. Meanwhile, China on Wednesday struck a highly positive note, saying the meeting will provide guidance for bilateral ties and devise a “shared role” in regional affairs so that the dragon and the elephant can work together. Announcing Xi’s visit for the summit to be held on October 11-12 at Mamallapuram, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui said that the two leaders will have in-depth discussion on global and regional affairs. Luo, who till recently worked as China’s Ambassador to India, addressed a special media briefing even as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is leading a shrill campaign against India’s move to revoke the Special Status to Jammu and Kashmir, held talks with President Xi in Beijing. Highlighting the importance attached by China to the Xi-Modi summit, Luo said, “during the Wuhan summit, there was strong personal chemistry between the two leaders. Without the personal commitment from the two leaders this kind of informal meeting is not possible”.
“The meeting will once again send a consistent message of China and India to the whole world and inject stability and positive energy to the world that is full of uncertainty”, he said. At Mamallapuram, they will reach “consensus” on their shared vision for the reform of the international system, shared “responsibility and role in regional affairs” and “provide and growth of bilateral ties and exchanges and cooperation,” Luo said. Also, Luo dismissed reports of China’s concerns over India’s Him Vijay military exercises in Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as South Tibet. “We have no worry at all because that is not true,” he said while replying to a question whether China is concerned that the exercises will affect the summit.