Xi-Modi meet broke new ground for bilateral ties: Chinese foreign ministry

Beijing: The Wuhan summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping broke ‘new ground’ as they identified the guiding principles for bilateral ties, drew up a blueprint for cooperation and mapped out concrete measures to implement the consensus reached, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Modi met Xi last week in an unprecedented two-day 'heart-to-heart' summit in the central Chinese city of Wuhan to "solidify" the India-China relationship after the Doklam standoff in 2017.

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in the 73-day standoff in Doklam after India objected to the construction of a road by China.

During their summit, the two leaders held a candid exchange of views in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere on topics related to international relations and China-India cooperation in various areas.

They reached important consensus, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in her first comments on the summit held on April 27 and 28.

The two leaders "identified the important principles guiding the development of China-India relations and drew up a blueprint for the comprehensive cooperation between the two sides," Hua said.

"The two leaders have also mapped out concrete measures to implement such kind of consensus," she said.

The meeting was oriented towards the future and enhancing the friendship and mutual trust, creating a new model for exchanges between the two leaders, Hua added.

Asked about reports that the two sides have agreed to establish hotline facilities between their armies, Hua said the exchanges between the two leaders in Wuhan included how China and India could handle their differences.

She said the two nations should put the border issues into a proper context.

The two sides should step up exchanges on relevant issues to properly resolve such kind of differences, she said adding that China is willing to maintain and enhance communication with India.