Saturday, April 28, 2018

The Xi Jinping - Narendra Modi meeting.

After six rounds of talks that stretched close to ten hours over two days, including a lakeside walk, a boat ride and conversations over tea, Modi and Xi have pledged to work more closely together on global issues while managing differences. The important takeaways of the summit are the following:-

   * A major confidence-building measure and symbol of the potential to co-operate, the two leaders
      have given the go ahead for India and China to carry out a joint economic project in Afghanistan.

   * Agreed to issue a new "strategic guidance" to their two militaries to follow the existing
      mechanisms in place to maintain peace and tranquility in the border.

   * To better use the information sharing mechanisms that are in place. The Doklam stand off, last
      year, was seen by both sides as exposing a major gap in communication.

   * Found common ground on terrorism recognising the common threat posed by it. Reiterated their
      strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

   * Agreed to push forward bilateral trade and investment in a balanced and sustainable manner by
      taking advantage of the complimentary aspects between the two economies.

   * Enhance Military and Security communications.

   * Agreed to take forward economic co-operation and China did not think it was important whether
      India accepted the One-Belt-One-Road infrastructure project and China "won't force it to" - the
      approach seemed to be of shelving disputes while taking forward ties.

The influential People's Daily had given wide coverage of the visit, noting the personal touch that Xi had given to all the arrangements. It stressed the following:-

   * Beauty of the informal summit in Wuhan, Hubei Province is that it comes with no baggage, only
      expectations.

   * Free of the usual diplomatic frills, somewhat beyond the global limelight.

   * Heart-to-heart communication reflected their deepened mutual chemistry.

My take.

It's my sincere hope that the relationship between the two countries improves thanks to the personal equation between the two leaders.


Tailpiece.

We'd gone to look up Pidavoor amma - Padmakumar's mom - after a half past 3 in the afternoon. Rema had company in Bharathi chechi and Rohan....the others would be fetching up by early morning tomorrow to partake in an engagement ceremony within that family, at Kottarakkara. At 90, she was enthusiastic in collecting the dried 'copra' from the courtyard along with the others.

May God take care of you and keep you in good health, Pidavoor amma.

She was fussy about the tea and snacks being provided and insisted on us having a papaya too! A host-par-excellence!! And she recalled dad's monthly visits with a packet of the Kottarakkara Ganesha kshetram's delicacy - the unniyappams - after collecting his pension!!!  

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