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| Center for Indian Studies launched at Peking Univ. |
| CCTV.COM 2003-06-24 09:06:22 |
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During his stay in Beijing, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also took time out on Monday to inaugurate the Center for Indian Studies at Peking University. This initiative is seen as part of the current effort to enrich the interaction between India and China.
It is widely agreed that cultural exchange is a good way to maintain friendly relations between different countries. For both China and India, the establishment of the academic center not only promotes bilateral cultural exchanges, but also serves as a clear and symbolic commitment to build trust and mutual understanding.
Vajpayee said, "Distance encourages caricatures and stereotyped images, based on old experiences. Academic exchanges and contemporary studies help to bridge the gap of information and perceptions. Let us better understand each other as we are today, and comprehend where we can go together in the future. The better we understand each other, the more we can do together."
Historical records show that the Sino－Indian relations can be traced back to the second century B.C. As two ancient nations with impressive cultural and historical legacies, the exchange of art, culture and knowledge between China and India has been ongoing for over 2,000 years.
The message of the Buddha, transmitted from India, was received by millions in China. The Silk Route facilitated the free flow of India's music, scriptures and literature. Even now, India's religion, philosophy, art, and language still have an influence on Chinese culture. And Chinese trade and technology, such as sugar and papermaking, have benefited generations of Indians.
In his speech at Peking University, Vajpayee acknowledged there were periods in history when the two civilizations went into an introspective phase. He noted that colonial invasions and the Cold War had impaired regular communication between China and India. Vajpayee expressed his appreciation that this unfriendly period had passed.
The premier said, "We have emerged decisively from this dead－end of mistrust already since a few decades ago. We have vigorously set about recovering our mutual understanding, building a broad base for our cooperation and redeeming the promise of our complementarities."
The Indian prime minister also stressed that China and India should be conscious of their complementary strengths, and resist forces that would put the two nations against each other. He added that both countries should strive to use their resources in a mutually reinforcing manner.
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Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
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