New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a two-and-a-half-hour “pleasant conversation” over dinner on Friday discussed terrorism and expressed concern over the growing radicalisation, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said in a press conference.
The meeting at the magnificent Shore temple complex in the coastal town of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu continued much beyond the scheduled time as both leaders touched upon issues of bilateral interests, including trade, investment, economy, Gokhale said.
"The two leaders held detailed discussions on their respective national vision," he said and added that Modi and Xi also discussed trade-related issues, including how to enhance bilateral trade volume and identified investment areas.
Although there was no official confirmation whether Modi and Xi discussed the Kashmir issue which overshadowed President Xi's trip to the coastal town, it is widely speculated that the issue found mention in the conversation between the two leaders over dinner.
The Chinese president arrived in Chennai in the afternoon and recieved a grand red-carpet welcome by the Tamil Nadu government. He then headed to Mahabalipuram for the summit with Modi. In the late afternoon, Modi and Xi sipped coconut water and engaged in casual interaction in a serene setting in the backdrop of 7th century rock-cut chariots of Pancha Ratha overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
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Modi, dressed in a Tamil attire of 'Veshti' (dhoti), white shirt and an 'angavastram' (shawl), took Xi for a guided tour of the famous world heritage sites of Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butterball, the Pancha Ratha and Shore temple in this ancient temple town, kicking off the second informal summit between the two leaders.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the engagement between Modi and Xi on the first day of the Informal summit as "highly productive".
"Concluding a highly productive day with a pleasant conversation over a long dinner. PM @narendramodi & Chinese President Xi continued their exchange of views on deepening of the India-China partnership over a breathtaking Kalakshetra cultural performance followed by dinner," Kumar tweeted.
