PM Modi-Xi push for people-to-people exchange will boost India, China ties

Underlining the importance of people-to-people contact, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong's wife Bao Jiqing on Monday said that in a diplomatic relationship, cultural relations and not "big things", make ties stronger.

As a part of the celebrations of 70 years of diplomatic relationship between India and China, the Chinese envoy's wife hosted a painting exhibition at the Chinese Embassy here and said these interactions will further strengthen bilateral ties.

Both Modi and Xi had said that India and China will hold events to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, underlining that it would promote mutual understanding and enrich humanistic exchanges between the two countries.

"Chinese people appreciate Indian culture and the leaders of our countries reached a consensus to promote people-to-people contact between the two age-old civilisations during their informal summit in October," Bao said.

The joint exhibition was held to promote mutual understanding and enrich humanistic exchanges between India and China and give more thrust to the bilateral relations.

To warm up the 70th anniversary of the India-China diplomatic ties next year, the exhibition was jointly held by the women's group of the Chinese Embassy and the OP Jindal Global University.