PM didn't raise tension points like border row with Xi: Manmohan Singh

Mumbai, Oct 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed only "peripheral issues" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but skirted "tension points" such as border issues and Kashmir, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here ahead of Maharashtra Assembly polls, he dismissed the second "informal summit" between Modi and Xi as nothing but "jumlewali baat-chit" (show of talks).

Modi and Xi met at the historic site of Mahabalipuram last weekend after a similar summit in Wuhan last year. The two leaders are reported have spoken on trade and investment.

"There is no information if there was any talk about borders, whether Kashmir was discussed. Looks like there have been no talks on this. The tension-points were not discussed at all, only peripheral issues featured in the talks," Singh said.

"Ye toh jumle-wali baat-chit hui, issme koi tap nahin hai (these talks were mere show, with no light at the end)," he said. "The Chinese are very smart and they know exactly how India can be made to slip (pislaya ja sakta hai'). The Indian people also understand that no solutions are emerging for our problems with China," the former PM added.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal had earlier asked Modi to display his "56 inch chest" and raise issues such as Huawei, land occupied by China in Pak Occupied Kashmir and incursion in Dokalam with Xi Jinping.

"As Xi Jinping supports Imran Khan on Article 370, Modi Ji look him in the eye at Mamallapuram and say: 1) Vacate 5000 km of land in PoK occupied by China trans-Karakoram 2) No Huawei in India for 5G. Show your 56" ki chhati!" Sibal had said.