PM Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the centuries old ties between India and China during a delegation-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan. PM Modi told Chinese President that the two countries have a big opportunity to work together for the benefit of their people and the world.

Prime Minister Modi said such informal summits should become a tradition between the two countries. PM Modi also offered to hold the next informal summit in India in 2019.

Prime Minister recalled that during the 2000 years of history, India and China together provided momentum and strength to the world economy and dominated it for around 1600 years.

PM Modi said the two countries together constituted for about 50 per cent of the world economy and another 50 per cent was shared by rest of the world for 1600 years. PM Modi also said the people of India felt proud that President Xi has twice received him out of the capital Beijing.

President Xi Jinping said the two countries have established closer partnership and made positive progress in recent years. He said in the past five years, they have achieved a lot and met each other on many occasions. President Xi Jinping said he believes in future and the two leaders could meet in format like this from time to time.

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged views on solidifying the India-China relationship at a one to one meeting as they began a two-day informal summit in Wuhan. PM Modi and President Xi Jinping will have a series of meetings focussing on bilateral, global and regional issues during PM Modi’s visit to China.PM Modi began talks soon after President Xi Jinping hosted a grand welcoming ceremony for him.

The summit in Wuhan is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Dokalam standoff last year. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that the two leaders had the one-on-one meeting during which they exchanged views on solidifying our bilateral relationship. Raveesh Kumar said they will review the developments in the bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective during their meetings.