<![CDATA[War games, Kashmir and a US$57 billion question: as Xi meets Modi, a look at the big issues]>
China's President Xi Jinping on Friday arrived to a lavish welcome in the southern Indian city of Chennai for his second informal summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, against a backdrop of strained ties stemming from trade tensions and border disputes.
Xi was treated to a performance showcasing the local Tamil traditional dance forms on the runway.
Political watchers on both sides say the meeting " which takes place in Mamallapuram, a coastal town about 50km south of Chennai " is aimed at thawing a chill in relations that has been fuelled by China supporting Pakistan's opposition to India's move to strip the Kashmir region of its autonomy. Both New Delhi and Islamabad claim Kashmir in full.
Like the first informal summit held last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, officials from both sides said there will not be a fixed agenda.
Indian PM Narendra Modi lands in Chennai on October 11. Photo: Twitter alt=Indian PM Narendra Modi lands in Chennai on October 11. Photo: Twitter
Xi's visit will last just under 24 hours, and he is expected to spend a total of six hours with Modi. Three of these hours will be on Friday, when the two leaders will watch cultural performances and have a ceremonial dinner, and the other three will be for actual talks on Saturday.
Ahead of Xi's arrival, police detained the chief of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Gonpo Dhondup, and 11 Tibetan students in several locations, including at the airport and a highway leading to the summit venue.
"We want freedom," shouted Dhondup, as he was wrestled away by six policemen in a video shared by the Tibetan Youth Congress. He was pushed into an auto-rickshaw and taken away by police.
Earlier on Friday, Modi posted a few tweets in Chinese and Hindi after arriving in Chennai, saying he hoped the meeting would lead to stronger bilateral ties.
"Landed in Chennai. I am pleased to be in the great state of Tamil Nadu, known for its great culture and hospitality," he said. "It's gratifying that Tamil Nadu is hosting President Xi Jinping. I hope this informal meeting will further strengthen India-China relations."
Sources in the Indian establishment said Modi would likely discuss issues of trade " including trying to break the deadlock over a free-trade agreement, and bridging the trade deficit " plans to resolve border disputes and strengthen defence coordination to avoid skirmishes and stand-offs, and counterterrorism measures.
India may also discuss building tighter connectivity links, namely through the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor.
A motorist drives past a poster welcoming China's President Xi Jinping in Chennai. Photo: AFP alt=A motorist drives past a poster welcoming China's President Xi Jinping in Chennai. Photo: AFP
For both countries, economic cooperation is a priority. China, reeling under the tariff war with the United States, would be keen on boosting economic ties with India through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free-trade agreement between 16 nations that would give China access to the Indian market.
India, experiencing a slowdown, will be eyeing Chinese investments and would want to find ways to ensure the US$57 billion trade deficit with China is brought down.
According to analysts, all these will be easier said than done.
"The key issues likely to occupy centre stage include assessing the progress made since the Wuhan summit, and stocktaking trade issues at all levels," said Sana Hashmi, a China analyst with the Perth-based think tank Future Directions International.
"But what will heavily influence the outcome of the summit would be the nature and span of discussions on Kashmir, the boundary dispute and questions over the access to each other's markets," she said.
Yet, before the two sides can make substantial headway into these issues, both sides will want to put behind the bugbears that have troubled the relationship.
Besides New Delhi's irritation over China's support for Pakistan, Chinese officials have raised concerns over the Indian government's move to hold mountain combat war games in Arunachal Pradesh, the region it calls south Tibet. China would have also been closely watching the bonhomie between India and the US. They have also raised concerns that India's move on Kashmir could have implications on regional stability.
Amid these concerns, both sides will hope that the summit will lead to progress on core issues.
"One single dialogue or a bunch of dialogues cannot resolve all the outstanding problems between India and China. What these dialogues are meant to do is smoothen the process of communication; Wuhan did the same," said Hashmi.
"Xi will have an in-depth communication with Modi on issues that have overall, long-term and strategic significance on bilateral relations, set the tune and guide the direction for future development of the ties," Chinese state media quoted Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui as saying.
Mamallapuram, a coastal city in south India. Photo: Kunal Purohit alt=Mamallapuram, a coastal city in south India. Photo: Kunal Purohit
A MEANINGFUL VENUE
The choice of Mamallapuram, a southern coastal town popular among tourists, was a curious, yet natural one, said sources on the Indian side.
The former trading centre used to be ruled by Pallavas, a powerful fourth-century dynasty that first established trading relations with China.
"Such historic ties between India and China make the summit's location in Mamallapuram apt," Tamil Nadu chief minister EK Palaniswami said on Friday.
Performers rehearse a performance ahead of the informal summit. Photo: AFP alt=Performers rehearse a performance ahead of the informal summit. Photo: AFP
Apart from the ancient links, the town also saw a more recent Chinese connection. Zhou Enlai, the first premier of China, came to the town as part of his India trip in 1956, at a time when bilateral ties were on the upswing.
After visiting the state-owned Integral Coach Factory, which made railway coaches, Zhou praised the establishment. "This is a modern coach factory. It is worthwhile for the Chinese to come and learn. This factory is well-built and well-organised. The technology and training given are very good," he wrote in its guest register.
Sculptures of gods and goddesses in Mamallapuram. Photo: Kunal Purohit alt=Sculptures of gods and goddesses in Mamallapuram. Photo: Kunal Purohit
Modi's choice of location may also have a domestic angle. The prime minister and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have struggled to make inroads into southern India. Tamil Nadu state has often seen intense protests against Modi and his government's policies.
With the high-profile summit, the state has been allowed to shine with a grand display of hospitality, colour and pomp. Chennai's airport, where Xi's aircraft landed, has been decorated with traditional Tamil designs and floral patterns. Streets in town have been lined with sculptures of Buddha and Hindu gods and goddesses, indicative of the town's sculpting expertise.
Xi's 50km journey from his hotel in Chennai to Mamallapuram would be filled with cultural performances along the way.
Students in Chennai form the Chinese characters for the name of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP alt=Students in Chennai form the Chinese characters for the name of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP
"Thousands of school students as well as performers will be lined up along the route to receive President Xi when he drives to Mamallapuram. At select spots along the route, we will have performances of traditional Tamilian dance forms like Karakattam," said the BJP's Tamil Nadu spokesperson KT Raghavan ahead of Xi's arrival.
When Xi arrives in Mamallapuram, the leaders are scheduled to take in the festive atmosphere with a walk through town, before enjoying a traditional Tamil dance performance and heading to a ceremonial dinner.
With the optics now firmly in place, the town looks to strengthen its Chinese connection some more over the next two days.
Additional reporting by Reuters
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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