India-China International Conference calls for enhanced ties of two Asian neighbours

The Chinese diplomat was speaking on the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Indian Independence and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China as Visva-Bharati university and Consulate General of the China in Kolkata kicked off the two-day "International Conference on Perspectives on India-China Developmental Dynamics" on Sept 6.

This conference is the first ever occasion when top scholars from China and India share insights and thoughts in order to further people-to-people exchanges especially think tank exchanges between the two countries and promote better mutual understanding and bilateral relations, said the Consulate.

Mutual perception plays an important role in India-China relation which is required at present times considering the changing global geopolitics, the Chinese Consul said.

Quoting from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech, he said the world will listen if China and India speak in the same voice.

Similarly Indian Prime Minister Modi was quoted in the event by Indian speakers who said, “we share a common thinking. Your dream of New Era and our efforts of New India are a step in the right direction for the benefit of the world.

The conference at Santiniketan, the abode of learning founded by Rabindranath Tagore, has a special significance since Tagore had visited China in 1924 and broke new ground in India-China relations that had gathered the dust of time.

This visit had helped reconstruct the bridge of friendship and cultural exchanges between two of the most ancient Eastern civilizations of the world. A greater exposure to each other’s culture and traditions through various areas must be explored, the speakers felt.

The Inaugural Session  at Lipika Auditorium on the Visva-Bharati campus was graced by Bidyut Chakrabarty, Vice Chancellor, Visva-Bharati, former diplomat and presently Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs, TCA Raghavan, among others.

Nearly 40 eminent Indian and Chinese professors like Manoranjan Mohanty, TCA Rangachari, Prof. Sreemati Chakraborty, Lan Jianxue, Sun Yixue,  Prof. B.R.Deepak, Prof Sabaree Mitra, Tarun Vijay, Li Anshan, Prof Sawaran Singh delivered lectures and participated in the brain storming sessions to discuss on the India–China Developmental Dynamics.

This International Conference is focusing on topics related to China-India relations such as Development Strategies of India and China. China and India influence global economic and political dynamics, and can provide alternative sources of development assistance. Economic ties between China and India will play a large role in one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world by 2020, it said.

The high-level mechanism on cultural and people-to-people exchanges between India and China has had two successful meetings so far as the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields that include cultural exchanges, cooperation in film and television and joint production, museums, think tanks, sports, youth, tourism, state and city level exchanges, traditional medicine, yoga, and education.

Mutual perception plays an important role in India-China relation which is required at present times considering the changing global geopolitics, the speakers said.