Need to take concrete measures to enhance youth exchanges between India and China: Chinese envoy

Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Friday lauded the relations between both the countries and said that Indo-China relations are at its best now. 

Speaking at the China-India Youth Dialogue, Zhaohui urged more Indian students to study in China and said that China has also encouraged students to study in India. Adding to it he said that more than 20 Chinese Universities are teaching Hindi and asked more Indian universities and educational institution to teach Chinese. 

Zhaohui added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's informal summit marked a historical milestone in the bilateral relations between the two countries. "(Chinese) President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modiji held the Wuhan Informal Summit in April. It is a historic milestone in the bilateral relations. Both sides are implementing the consensus reached by the leaders," he said.

Speaking about the youth in China, Zhaohui said that three things are most fashionable among the Chinese youth - practicing Yoga, tasting the Darjeeling tea and watching Bollywood movies.

"There is a need to take concrete measures to enhance youth exchanges between India and China," Chinese envoy Zhaohui said. 

The dialogue was organised jointly by the Chinese embassy and the Confederation of Young Leaders (CYL).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his congratulatory note for the dialogue. 

"The dialogue will provide a platform for the youth of both nations to build a great wall of trust and cooperation between the two countries," Modi said in the note read out at the dialogue.

Calling youth the "pioneers and driving force" to enhance cultural exchanges between India and China, Luo said the future of the relations between the two countries lies in the hands of the youth.

"The interaction with CYL should be more often and should be regularised. Second, we need to expand the scope of exchanges among the youth and arrange some dialogues with the big cities," he said.

"Third we shall encourage more exchange programs in sports and movie industry. Fourth, we shall encourage more Indian engineers to work in China and more Indian students to work in Chinese enterprises in India, he added.

"Fifth, we shall encourage more Indian students to study in China and more Chinese students to study in India. Sixth, we will work with the Indian government to map out a plan for youth exchanges," Luo said.

(With Agency Inputs)