Foreign Secretary Vijay K Gokhale addressed the media after Chinese president Xi Jinping’s two-day informal summit in India with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the two leaders discussed trade, investment and services at an elevated level, but the Kashmir issue was not discussed by them.
President Jinping and PM Modi held delegation-level talks on the second day in Tamil Nadu’s coastal town of Mamallapuram.
The two leaders on Friday went on a guided tour of monuments at the UNESCO World Heritage site, watched cultural performances and had a traditional Tamil dinner hosted by PM Modi.
- PM Modi began Day 2 with beach plogging at Kovalam
- Delegation-level talks were held today in Mamallapuram
- The first Modi-Xi informal summit was held in China’s Wuhan amid the Doklam standoff
- This summit is being held amid tensions between the two countries over Kashmir
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Chinese President Leaves India
Chinese President Xi Jinping departed for Nepal after the two-day visit to India for the second informal summit with PM Narendra Modi in Mahabalipuram.
MEA Foreign Secretary on Modi - Xi Summit
Foreign Secretary Vijay K Gokhale addressed media and said the two leaders discussed trade, investment and services at an elevated level. The two leaders had agreed to identify sectors where they can welcome manufacturing and investment opportunities and expand trade.
“The two leaders today had a conversation for almost 90 minutes, followed by delegation level talks and then lunch was hosted by Prime Minister Modi. A total of six hours of one to one meeting was held between the two leaders during this summit,” he said.
A new mechanism will be established to discuss trade, investment and services at an elevated level. From China it will be the Vice Premier, Hu Chunhua and from India it will be Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary
He said that President Xi Jinping invited Prime Minister Modi to China for the next summit.
In response to a question on discussions about Kashmir, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said,“This (Kashmir) issue was not raised and not discussed. Our position is anyways very clear that this is an internal matter of India.”
President Xi raised the issue of engaging more on the defence side, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. Xi has also extended invitation to Defence Ministry to visit China.
Summit Comes to an End
Chinese President Xi Jinping departed from Taj Fisherman's Cove hotel in Kovalam for Chennai. He will be leaving the country soon.
Souvenirs to China from Tamil Nadu
The ‘Chennai connect’, like the 'Wuhan spirit', may mark a new chapter in India-China relations. PM Modi and Chinese President Xi visited an exhibition of artefacts and handloom at Taj Fisherman's Cove hotel in Kovalam. Modi presented Jinping a traditional Kancheepuram silk with an embossed motif of the Chinese President.
