BEIJING, APR 27 (DNA) – President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in central China Friday as they seek to repair ties that were marred by a border dispute last year.

Xi greeted Modi at a Hubei province museum in the city of Wuhan for what has been billed as an “informal summit” that will continue on Saturday.

While last year’s high-altitude standoff in the Himalayas has been resolved, the world’s most populous countries have a long history of mistrust.

New Delhi has also raised concerns about Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative, a global trade infrastructure programme that includes a major project through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied.

However, the two leaders discussed “strengthening the exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilisations of China and India and promoting the harmonious coexistence and dialogue of different civilisations,” .

Following the museum tour, Modi and Xi were due to hold talks and have dinner together, according to the prime minister’s official agenda. On Saturday, they will walk along the East Lake, ride a boat and have lunch together.

The summit “is New Delhi’s well-intentioned attempt to reach out to Beijing to see if the past can be put behind and if the relationship can be reset,” Harsh Pant, international relations professor at King’s College London, told.

In a statement before leaving India, Modi said he would exchange views with Xi on a range of bilateral and global issues.

“We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation,” Modi said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Tuesday that the two leaders have “a good working relationship and personal friendship”.

They agreed that an informal summit would be conducive to having “full and in-depth exchanges on major issues of common concern in a suitable atmosphere”, Lu said.