Modi, Xi discuss ‘range of issues’ on the sidelines of G20 summit

Modi, Xi discuss ‘range of issues’ on the sidelines of G20 summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping briefly discussed a “range of issues” during an informal gathering of BRICS leaders in Hamburg on Friday, raising hopes of a resolution to the three-week-old standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim sector. Addressing the gathering before the interaction, Xi also called on BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries to “push for peaceful settlement of regional conflicts and disputes,” Chinese state media reported. External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted a photo of the two leaders smiling and shaking hands. He said Modi and Xi had a “conversation on a range of issues”. But there was no indication whether the two leaders specifically discussed the border dispute that has roiled bilateral relations. According to sources, the conversation lasted about five minutes. The interaction, held against the backdrop of the tense standoff between Indian and Chinese forces, came a day after China ruled out a formal bilateral meeting between the two leaders in Hamburg, with officials saying the “atmosphere is not right”. Indian officials had responded by saying no formal meeting had been planned. The BRICS leaders met on the margins of the G20 Summit. During the meeting, Modi and Xi praised the roles played by each other’s country in the international arena. Modi “appreciated momentum in BRICS under the chairmanship of President Xi and extended full cooperation and best wishes for the BRICS Xiamen Summit”, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry. Concluding the meeting immediately after Modi’s remarks, Xi “appreciated India’s strong resolve against terrorism and the momentum in BRICS introduced under India’s chairmanship and through the outcomes of the Goa Summit in 2016”.