- The meeting is aimed at thawing the chill in relations fuelled by China’s support of Pakistan’s opposition to India axing the autonomy of Kashmir
- Amid the territorial issues, economic cooperation remains a priority, with the RCEP free-trade deal and India’s trade deficit among key concerns
Kunal Purohit 11 October 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai to attend a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: AFP/MEAChina’s President Xi Jinping on Friday arrived to a lavish welcome in the southern Indian city of Chennai for his second informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, against a backdrop of strained ties stemming from trade tensions and border disputes.
Xi was treated to a performance showcasing the local Tamil traditional dance forms on the runway.Political watchers on both sides say the meeting – which takes place in Mamallapuram, a coastal town about 50km south of Chennai – is aimed at thawing a chill in relations that has been fuelled by China supporting Pakistan’s opposition to India’s move to strip the Kashmir region of its autonomy. Both New Delhi and Islamabad claim Kashmir in full.
Like the first informal summit held last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, officials from both sides said there will not be a fixed agenda.
Indian PM Narendra Modi lands in Chennai on October 11. Photo: TwitterShare:
Xi’s visit will last just under 24 hours, and he is expected to spend a total of six hours with Modi. Three of these hours will be on Friday, when the two leaders will watch cultural performances and have a ceremonial dinner, and the other three will be for actual talks on Saturday.
Ahead of Xi’s arrival, police detained the chief of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Gonpo Dhondup, and 11 Tibetan students in several locations, including at the airport and a highway leading to the summit venue.SUBSCRIBE TO THIS WEEK IN ASIAGet updates direct to your inboxSUBMITBy registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
“We want freedom,” shouted Dhondup, as he was wrestled away by six policemen in a video shared by the Tibetan Youth Congress. He was pushed into an auto-rickshaw and taken away by police.Earlier on Friday, Modi posted a few tweets in Chinese and Hindi after arriving in Chennai, saying he hoped the meeting would lead to stronger bilateral ties.
“Landed in Chennai. I am pleased to be in the great state of Tamil Nadu, known for its great culture and hospitality,” he said. “It’s gratifying that Tamil Nadu is hosting President Xi Jinping. I hope this informal meeting will further strengthen India-China relations.”
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Sources in the Indian establishment said Modi would likely discuss issues of trade – including trying to break the deadlock over a free-trade agreement, and bridging the trade deficit – plans to resolve border disputes and strengthen defence coordination to avoid skirmishes and stand-offs, and counterterrorism measures.
India may also discuss building tighter connectivity links, namely through the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor.
A motorist drives past a poster welcoming China’s President Xi Jinping in Chennai. Photo: AFPShare:For both countries, economic cooperation is a priority. China, reeling under the tariff war with the United States, would be keen on boosting economic ties with India through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free-trade agreement between 16 nations that would give China access to the Indian market.India, experiencing a slowdown, will be eyeing Chinese investments and would want to find ways to ensure the US$57 billion trade deficit with China is brought down.
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According to analysts, all these will be easier said than done.