Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c17.s1.188

v2.c17.s1.188

* On New Year’s day, the heads of state and the Prime Ministers of India and China exchanged congratulatory calls and declared 2006 as the “India China Friendship Year”
* January 1-8, China’s Liaoning Peking Opera Troupe visited India on the invitation of India’s National School of Drama.
* January 6, China’s Shanxi Folk Art Exhibition opened in New Delhi.
* February 28 – March 3, China’s tea delegation visited India.
* On April 26, the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Indian style Buddhist hall was held at the White Horse Temple of Luoyang city in Henan Province. The Indian Ambassador to China Nalin Surie gave a speech during the ceremony.
* August 25– September 1, the Indian Film Festival was held in Beijing.
* November 20-23, President of China Hu Jintao came to India on a state visit. During his visit, the leaders of both the countries agreed to exchange mutual visits 500 youngsters in the next five years. The governments of the two countries together issued a “Joint Declaration”, formulated “Ten Strategies” to strengthen cooperative partnership and signed thirteen cooperative agreements like “Agreement on Boosting and Protecting Investment” etc. Hu Jintao also participated in the celebrations of “India China Friendship Year”.
* December 25, the Indian Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni visited China and held talks with the Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng regarding bilateral cultural exchanges. On December 26, “Gods of the West – Ancient Indian Treasures Exhibition” opened in the China National Museum. Indian Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, Head of China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage Shan Jixiang and Indian Ambassador to China Nirupama Rao attended the opening ceremony and jointly inaugurated the ceremony by cutting the ribbon.