PM Modi, Xi Jinping discuss trade and terrorism on day 1 of informal summit

Mamallapuram, Oct 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the issues of terrorism and radicalisation in the "nearly five hours of quality time and discussion" they spent together in Mahabalipuram.

The two leaders held a two-and-half hour conversation over dinner during which they discussed a range of issues, including on their respective national visions and governance priorities, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said at a late evening press conference.

Gokhale said the two leaders discussed the challenges being faced by both the countries on account of terrorism. "There was an acknowledgement that both the countries are very complex and very diverse.

The two leaders said that these are large countries and that radicalisation is a matter of concern to both and that both would work together so that radicalisation and terrorism did not affect our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic multi-religious societies," he said.

Gokhale said Modi and Xi felt that terrorism and radicalisation are common challenges and both the sides will work together to overcome it. He said the two leaders also resolved to boost trade and investment and that Modi raised the issue of trade deficit in the discussion.

In the backdrop of the seventh-century rock-cut chariots of Pancha Ratha overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Modi and Xi sipped coconut water and engaged in casual interaction, sending signs of positive atmospherics in bilateral ties strained over the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi, dressed in the Tamil attire of a 'veshti' (dhoti), white shirt and an 'angavastram' (shawl), took Xi around Mahabalipuram on a guided tour of the world heritage sites of Arjuna's Penance, the Pancha Rathas, and the Shore temple, kicking off the second informal summit between them.