From K J M Varma
Hangzhou:Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Chinese President Xi Jinping here amid differences between the two countries over a raft of issues, including the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor which runs through PoK.

The meeting was held this morning on the sidelines of G20 leaders summit at the Hangzhou West Lake State Guest House.

“First engagement in Hangzhou is a meeting with the host.

PM @narendramodi meets President Xi Jinping,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

The meeting between the two leaders comes in the backdrop of contentious issues including listing of Pakistan-based terrorist organisations in the UN, China stalling India’s membership at the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which runs through Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The two leaders had last met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in June in Tashkent and are again set to meet in Goa next month on the sidelines of BRICS summit.

China too has been concerned over the close ties of India with the US and the recently signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) which will give the militaries of both countries access to each other’s facilities for supplies and repairs.

After the meeting, both the leaders will attend the BRICS leaders meeting ahead of the G20 summit to finalise their strategy at the summit.

Modi reached Hangzhou last night after concluding his two-day visit in Hanoi. He will also hold bilateral meetings with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

He will attend the two-day G20 summit to begin here later under the theme of “Strengthening Policy coordination and Breaking a new path for growth”.

Tomorrow, he will take part in the second and concluding session of the G20 and hold bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister Theresa May and Argentinian President Mauricio Macri before returning to Delhi.

A meeting between Modi and US President Barack Obama is, however, not on the cards during this trip, officials said.

PTI