The informal summit between the leaders of the two most populated countries in the world ended on a hopeful note. The ‘heart-to-heart’ talks between PM Modi and Xi culminated with the two countries agreeing to enhance policy coordination in cooperation.
Modi-Xi issued strategic guidance to their respective military establishments to build trust and mutual understanding. They also agreed to create an information-sharing mechanism to prevent incidents in border regions. India’s army chief and the national security advisor are likely to discuss military measures to keep LAC (line of actual control) incident-free this week.
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The two sides will also enhance policy coordination in their neighbourhood to discuss cooperation in the form of China India plus one or China India plus X, the Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said while briefing the media about the summit outcome.
This is in the backdrop of increasing Chinese investments not only in India but also in the neighbourhood specially infrastructure projects . China has been stepping up its investments in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives besides Pakistan where it is investing heavily in the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). India has protested to China over the CPEC as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
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The India-China informal summit raised hopes of improving relations in light of last year’s tensions on a host of issues including the Doklam military standoff.
After the summit, the two countries have agreed to develop a project jointly in war-torn Afghanistan, officials sources said after the summit.
This could send a strong signal of their cooperation in the neighbourhood.