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Second India-China informal summit: Xi Jinping to meet PM Modi in Mamallapuram today 

WION Web Team
New Delhi, India Edited By: Sparshita SaxenaUpdated: Oct 11, 2019, 11:20 AM IST
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Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Photograph:(Reuters)

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The leaders will discuss regional, global and bilateral issues and ways to boost bilateral ties as well as trade.

The stage is set for the second India-China informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tamil Nadu's Mahabalipuram/Mamallapuram. 

President Xi will be arriving at the Chennai International Airport on Friday afternoon. He will be arriving at Tamil Nadu's scenic coastal town of Mamallapuram today accompanied by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Politburo members. From the Indian side, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will accompany the Prime Minister. 

The Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard are on alert and have deployed warships, at some distance from the shore in Mamallapuram, to provide security from any seaborne threat.

On the first day of Jinping's visit, he will meet PM Modi in Mamallapuram and visit some UNESCO world heritage sites in the evening.

The leaders will get a guided tour of three monuments - Arjuna's penance, an intricately carved ancient sculpture; Krishna's Butter Ball - a big round boulder perched on a slope; and Pancha Rathas - a five chariots monument complex.

A cultural programme will be organised in honour of the visiting leader at the Shore Temple on Friday evening. Modi will then host the Chinese President for dinner. On Saturday, Modi and Xi will have one-to-one meeting followed by delegation-level talks.

At the informal summit, President Xi and PM Modi are expected to hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global importance and exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. 

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between India and China. The nature of the summit will essentially be similar to the first summit that took place in China's Wuhan last year.

The leaders will discuss regional, global and bilateral issues and ways to boost bilateral ties and trade. Shortly before Xi's departure for Nepal, PM Modi will host lunch for Xi on Saturday afternoon.

The historical city of Mamallapuram holds significance for the Xi-Modi meet. The town enjoys a China connection and has had ancient maritime links with the country during the Pallava dynasty.

Xi-Modi meet comes in the backdrop of Beijing supporting Islamabad in raising the matter of abrogation of Article 370. China had criticised New Delhi's move on Kashmir. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi raised the matter at the UN General Assembly last month.

India continues to maintain that the abrogation of Article 370 is an internal matter.

After a meeting between Xi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Beijing in a joint statement on Wednesday stated that China is "paying close attention to the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir" and that the matter should be "properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements."

(With inputs from ANI)