On day two of the historic informal summit between India and China in picturesque Wuhan city, PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seen walking around the famous East Lake and taking a boat ride together. The leaders are set to conclude their talks with one-on-one lunch hosted by Xi in the honour of Modi.
The two-day summit aimed at forging consensus to improve the bilateral relations and address the contentious issues bedevilling their ties.
Earlier, PM Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping that he will be happy to host him for the next informal summit in India next year. “I hope such informal summits become a tradition between both the countries. I’ll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such informal summit in India,” he said.
"I am grateful for your invite and the welcome extended by you. This is perhaps the first time when you have received an Indian Prime Minister twice away from Beijing," Modi said.
HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) addresses media in Wuhan.
10:00 am: The two leaders (Modi & Xi) underscored that it is important to maintain peace along India-China border region and decided that they will issue strategic guidance to their respective militaries to strengthen communications and to build trust and understanding: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale
09:59 am: On the issue of India-China boundary question, the two leaders (Modi & Xi) endorsed work of the special representative to find a fair reasonable and mutual settlement: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale
08:30 am: PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seen walking around the famous East Lake.
08:25 am: The two leaders were seen spending time without their aides.
08:23 am: The summit was stated to be unique as the two leaders have no pressure and obligation to strike any agreements nor make big announcements but focus mainly on candid discussions on solutions to some of the vexed problems like the boundary question and other issues.
08:22 am: Earlier on Friday, the two leaders commenced their informal summit at the East Lake guesthouse in China's Wuhan city.
08:15 am: The two leaders visited the exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics and Treasure at Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan.
08:07 am: The two Asian leaders, in 2014, met in Gujarat as part of the short historic visit of Xi Jinping along with a group of Chinese ministers to the Sabarmati Ashram.
08:02 am: Both the leaders discussed the historical past of both India and China as PM Modi highlighted his visit to Three Gorges Dam as Gujarat's Chief Minister. After that, President Xi took PM Modi on a tour of the exhibition of Marquis Yi of Zeng Cultural Relics and Treasure at Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan.