The two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping began today in Wuhan, China. PM Modi
arrived in Wuhan in the Chinese province of Hubei on Thursday ahead of the informal meet. The two-day "heart-to-heart" summit will see the two leaders discussing global, regional and bilateral issues. Ahead of the two-day summit, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou told the media that the two leaders may not release a joint statement at the end of the meet. "Both sides have agreed not to sign an agreement or release any joint document but reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues," he said.
"At the informal summit, the two leaders will have heart-to-heart discussions on overarching issues and try to build mutual trust and consensus to resolve outstanding differences," Mr Kong said.
Wuhan is said to be the favourite holiday spot of China's revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. PM Modi and Xi Jinping
will spend time at the East Lake in the city that has the iconic holiday villa of Mao, which is now a memorial where Xi is expected to take PM Modi around.
Here are the live update on PM Modi-Xi Jinping meeting in China:
Apr 27, 2018 21:50 (IST)
"I thank President Xi Jinping for the wonderful gesture of personally accompanying me in the Hubei Provincial Museum. The Museum is home to great facets of Chinese history and culture," PM Modi tweeted.
Apr 27, 2018 16:22 (IST)
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he hopes their meeting opens a new chapter for bilateral ties, state radio reported. PM Modi arrived in the central Chinese city of Wuhan earlier in the day for an ice-breaking informal meeting with Xi after months of tension between the neighbours.
Apr 27, 2018 09:17 (IST)
PM Modi and Xi Jinping will meet at 3:30 pm local time today at Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the shore of East Lake of Wuchang in Wuhan. The museum is one of the best known in the country with historic and cultural relics. A "dazzling landmark building" in Wuhan City, according to a government website, it is also "a fine scenery spot".
Apr 27, 2018 08:48 (IST)
In reference to the meet, PM Modi in a statement said: "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance... We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective."
Apr 27, 2018 08:48 (IST)
Xi Jinping visited PM Modi's home state, Gujarat, in 2014 where Xi at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad tried operating a "charkha" or spinning wheel - Mahatma Gandhi's iconic symbol that reminds Indians of over 200-year long freedom struggle against the British.