The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in India have stepped up efforts to promote cultural exchanges, people-to -people exchanges and have decided to organize commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Throughout this year, cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries will be organized. Around 20 Chinese scholars will visit Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan to take part in an international seminar on Rabindranath Tagore on April 1 to mark the centenary celebration of Tagore's visit to China in 1924, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata Xu Wei said at a news briefing on March 25.
A two-day international conference on Rabindranath Tagore's Visit to China will be held at the Cheena Bhavana of Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, in India's eastern West Bengal state on April 1-2.
April 1 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India and the two countries will jointly hold some celebrations. "We are happy to see that the spring of China-India relations is arriving," Xu said.
"Apart from focusing on Tagore's work, the conference will bring the scholars of the two countries to come closer, and many common points will emerge from the conference. It will help the two countries to come closer in various areas and cooperate with each other," said Professor Avijit Banerjee, head of the Department of Chinese Language and Culture at Visva-Bharati University. This is the largest delegation of Chinese scholars to visit India in recent years.
The conference is also significant from the viewpoint of the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries, Prof Banerjee pointed out.
Visva-Bharati university, India's oldest and premier Chinese studies center, was founded by Tagore in the 1920s.
"We are willing to take the 75th anniversary of Chin-India diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with India to sum up past experience, forge a path forward, and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development," Xu said.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges play an indispensable role in the development of bilateral relations.
Later there would be media tours to Hunan and Fujian provinces, enabling Indian journalists to know about China's poverty alleviation efforts, advanced manufacturing industry and vocational education development. And two Indian artist delegation teams will also visit Beijing, Shanghai and Yunnan.
A ten-member cultural team, comprising noted Indian Sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee, acclaimed flutist Rakesh Chaurasia, has been visiting China to promote Indian classical music. They have performed two classical musical concerts in Beijing and Shanghai on March 26 and March 29, respectively.
"Common connection between the two countries is that we are rooted in tradition, we have ancient culture and the music reflects this ancient culture," said Chatterjee, who earlier also performed with many Chinese pipa players.
The Chaiti Arts Foundation, a Shanghai-based arts and cultural organization, founded by Indian expats, has organized the concerts.
Siddharth Sinha, a co-founder of the foundation, expressed joy in witnessing the lively revival of musical exchanges between two neighboring countries in the post-pandemic era.
"Through music and dance performances, workshops, and collaborations with local artists, these events create platforms for cross-cultural dialogue. They help bridge cultural gaps, foster goodwill, and cultivate friendships between the people of both nations. Such exchanges contribute to a deeper cultural understanding and appreciation, inspiring future generations and creating a lasting legacy of cultural enrichment," Sinha said in an email interview.
In 2019, around 1500 Chinese audiences watched similar Indian concerts in Shanghai and Guangzhou, according to Sinha.
Indian experts believe that cultural exchanges can help overcome the current geopolitical crises and dispel distrust in bilateral relations.
Cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions always provide new insights and new frameworks for resolving disputes, pointed out Professor Manoranjan Mohanty, who had served as a professor of political science and director of the Developing Countries Research Centre, the University of Delhi.
Resumption of direct flight services, revival of cultural ties, tourist visas and scholar exchange programs can facilitate strengthening bilateral ties, Prof Mohanty said.
Moreover, the consul general noted the two countries are in constant talks to resume direct flights, five years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, the two countries had launched direct flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities, with 50 flights per week.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar acknowledged on March 26 in New Delhi that India and China will have issues in the "foreseeable future", but said that there are ways to address them without conflict.
"We have basically made two points, which are that differences should not become disputes, and that competition should not become conflict. We do compete on many issues, but because we compete doesn't mean that there should be a conflict between us. We are very realistic about it," Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar's statement came a day after an Indian delegation met with a Chinese delegation and discussed cross-border cooperation during a border talks meeting in Beijing.
The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.
