Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping to reset India, China ties after Doklam standoff

After their first informal meeting at the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have a two-day “heart-to-heart” summit starting from Friday at Wuhan, a favourite holiday spot of revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
 

Xi will be hosting Modi for an informal summit where officials said that the two leaders would spend most of the time interacting with each other with one-on-one conversations focusing on global, regional and bilateral issues.

The summit is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year.
 

The famous East Lake in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the two leaders would spend most of the time was a favourite holiday spot for Mao. The picturesque garden adjacent to the mighty Yangtze river is also where Mao used to enjoy his favourite pastime swimming.
 

The place has iconic holiday villa of Mao, which is now a memorial where Xi is expected to take Modi round.

At the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and its surroundings, Modi was Xi’s guide to introduce the essence of Gandhian thought, including his iconic Charkha where the Chinese leader, who has emerged as the powerful leader of the country with an unlimited tenure, tried his hand to operate Gandhiji’s most cherished symbol. It is now Xi’s turn at Wuhan.

The details of the informal summit was not disclosed but officials said it included walks by the two leaders in the East Lake where they will have a boat ride and take walks just accompanied by their  translators.

In a pre-departure statement, Prime Minister Modi said he and President Xi will review the developments in Sino-Indian relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. “President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation,” Modi said.

Modi will have relaxed meetings with Xi on Friday  and Saturday, which officials say could become a game-changer if they manage to reach consensus on finding the solution to the problems, including the way forward to resolve the boundary dispute and other vexed issues that bedevilled the ties.

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