Modi dials Xi, congratulates on re-election

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, March 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a congratulatory telephone call to President Xi Jinping on his re-election for a second five year term as the President of China. 

The two leaders agreed that as two major powers growing rapidly, bilateral relations between India and China are vital for the realisation of "21st century as Asian century", said the Indian government in its formal statement.

On Monday, Modi had posted a congratulatory message on his account on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. "I look forward to working with you for further development of our bilateral relations," wrote PM Modi. 

The leaders had last met at the BRICS summit in Xiamen soon after Indian and Chinese troops mutually disengaged following a 73-day tense stand-off at the tri-junction with Bhutan.

64-year-old Xi now has unbridled power after the two-term presidential limit was removed by the Chinese Parliament, the National Peoples Congress. Xi also struck a nationalist tone in the closing address of the parliament session. 

As reported by The Tribune earlier, China has proposed an informal meeting between Xi and Modi this year. Amid tension in ties, India has also made overtures to Beijing with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale in a secret note to the Cabinet Secretary advising government ministers and officials to stay away from exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's functions as the environment with China is very sensitive currently.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to head to China next month in the run up to the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit scheduled for June this year.

The two leaders also agreed to continue their close consultations on regional and international issues of mutual interest,added the Indian government's release following the Modi-Xi conversation.