PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping Informal Summit In Mamallapuram: Top 10 Takeaways

After around five-and-half hours of one-on-one talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in multiple sessions spread over two days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here that a new era of cooperation will begin on Saturday in Sino-India ties through the "Chennai connect". On Friday, Modi and Xi held a two-and-half-hour open and cordial one-on-one discussion over dinner, vowing to jointly combat terrorism and radicalisation, and expand bilateral trade and investment. The meeting at the magnificent Shore temple complex under a sea-facing colourful tent went beyond the scheduled time as both leader touched upon a range of issues over sumptuous local delicacies.

Top 10 takeaways from PM Modi-Xi Jinping meet:

• Xi Jinping's visit to India came two days after he held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Beijing. After the talks, a joint statement said China is paying close attention" to the situation in Kashmir and that the issue should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter. The comments evoked sharp reaction from New Delhi.
• Upon on his arrival on Friday, PM Modi and Xi Jinping held a two-and-half-hour open and cordial one-on-one discussion over dinner, vowing to jointly combat terrorism and radicalisation, and expand bilateral trade and investment. The meeting at the magnificent Shore temple complex under a sea-facing colourful tent went beyond the scheduled time as both leader touched upon a range of issues over sumptuous local delicacies.
• PM Modi, dressed in a Tamil attire of Veshti (Dhoti), white shirt and an angavastram', 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.
• India has announced a five-year tourist e-visa with multiple entry facility for Chinese travellers, coinciding with President Xi's visit. "It is anticipated that this unilateral liberalisation of e-TV for Chinese nationals will further enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and encourage more Chinese tourists to choose India as a destination for tourism purposes," the Indian embassy in Beijing said in a press release.
• China's state run Xinhua news agency reported that Xi and Modi agreed to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to achieve joint development and prosperity during their meeting on Friday.
• In his delegation level talks with Xi at a luxury resort overlooking the Bay of Bengal in Kovalam on the second and final day of the informal summit, PM Modi noted that India and China were global economic powers.
• PM Modi said strategic communication between the two countries increased following the first informal summit in Wuhan. We had decided to prudently manage differences and not to allow them to become disputes. We had decided that we will be sensitive towards each other's concerns, said PM Modi.
• Xi and Modi held a one-on-one discussion lasting about an hour at the Fisherman's Cove resort on Saturday morning, sending a clear signal of an intent to refashion ties for greater bilateral cooperation.
• The two leaders took a stroll along the beach front and were seen having an engaging discussion. Earlier, Modi and Xi came together to the venue in a golf cart.
• "We are really overwhelmed by your hospitality. Me and my colleagues have felt that very strongly. This will be a memorable experience for me and us," Xi Jinping said today.

(With PTI inputs)