PM Modi to Visit China for Talks With Xi Jinping on 27-28 April

The announcement came amid External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s four-day visit to China.

File image of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

(Photo: MEA)

Addressing a joint press statement with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold informal summit talks on 27 and 28 April in Wuhan.

Yi asserted that the talks would be a complete success, marking a milestone in India-China relations.

We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development & revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit.

Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister

The announcement comes during Swaraj’s four-day visit to China in order to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Swaraj and Yi also discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

Addressing the press conference, Swaraj said that the two countries had agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development, and global healthcare.

She also added that China had confirmed to share data on the Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers, calling it a ‘welcome move.’

China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there we welcome this. Also Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume this year through Nathu La pass.

Swaraj was received by Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources here told PTI before the meeting.

Following the Dokalam standoff last year both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang are meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

(With inputs from PTI)