China, India to organise 100 activities to boost people-to-people contact

China and India on Monday decided to organise 100 activities, including in the areas of films and broadcasting, to boost people-to-people contacts.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a crucial three-day visit to China, called on Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and later held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

"We also discussed some new proposals and ideas to further promote such exchanges. As a result, we have also agreed to organise 100 activities to further strengthen our people-to-people ties," Jaishankar said.

The two countries are jointly inaugurating a Film Week to mark a commencement of these activities.

"In the coming months, we would be organising several other events in areas like museum management, education, think tank forum and cooperation in the areas of films and broadcasting, reflecting the wide range of our cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"Some suggestions were made by the Chinese side to expand the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and we are deeply appreciative of these initiative," Jaishankar said.

On the Kailash and Mansarovar Yatra, Wang said the Chinese government and the local government in particular have been working to provide facilities and that pathway has increasingly become a pathway of friendship.

"And today officials proposed that we can co-produce a documentary on pilgrims so that we can tell a good story of our traditional friendship," he said.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra involves pilgrims trek at high altitudes of up to 19,500 feet to seek blessings from Lord Shiva. Lake Mansarovar lies in Tibet.

Wang also proposed joint medical teams.

Another example is that to carry forward the ideals of Dr Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis, the famous Indian doctor who served in China during the Chinese revolution. China and India have put together a joint medical team on a regular basis, he said.

"The medical workers will go to remote areas in both countries to provide treatment to the local people and promote their fitness and wellness. It is our hope that the agencies over here can follow on that intuitive and help us spread our story of friendship today," he said.

Both the countries would also hold young entrepreneurial forum.

"That is very important and I hope you will pay more attention to that because that will mean a story that is future oriented," he said.

"It is even more important we join hands to write a new chapter so that the two civilisations coexist in harmony, mutual respect and jointly drive progress in Asia for humanity," he said.