Qingdao (China): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday held talks in Qingdao, China, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, covering various aspects of the bilateral cooperation, indicating efforts by both the countries to maintain the momentum in ties after their informal summit in Wuhan.
The meeting between the leaders came nearly six weeks after they held an informal summit in Chinese city of Wuhan with an aim to solidify ties in various areas and ensuring better coordination between border guarding forces of the two countries after the Doklam standoff last year.
Before their meeting, the two leaders had a warm handshake and posed for photographs. In his opening remarks, Modi said that strong and stable relations between India and China can inspire a stable and peaceful world. He also recalled his informal summit with Xi in Wuhan. Modi and Xi had then to issue “strategic guidance” to their militaries to strengthen communications to build trust and understanding as part of efforts to avoid a Doklam Standoff-like situation in the future.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which will explore concrete ways to bolster cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism and radicalisation besides deliberating on pressing global issues.
Modi and Xi are expected to explore ways to deepen ties in areas of trade and investment besides reviewing the overall bilateral cooperation.
It is for the first time the Indian prime minister will be attending the SCO Summit after India along with Pakistan became full-fledged members of the grouping, which has been increasingly seen as a counter to NATO. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Modi, who arrived in Qingdao on Saturday afternoon, is expected to hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of SCO countries.