SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL AT THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION FOR FRIENDSHIP WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES ( CPAFFC) RECEPTION

Beijing,China, 28th May 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be amongst all of you here today, many with old and cherished associations with India.

India and China have a time-tested friendship. It is a friendship forged in the crucibles of civilization. In the long course of history, we have enriched each other through centuries of contact, free flow of goods, peoples and ideas. The rich grottos of Dunhuang and Yungang, the historical records of Fa Xian and Xuan Zang and the distinctive Chan Buddhist philosophy of Damo, are both a product of such civilizational intercourses and a common heritage of our two nations. One cannot but marvel at the spirit of ingenuity these early ambassadors of India-China amity embodied in themselves.

The torchbearers of modern nationalism in India and China at the end of the 19th Century continued to draw inspiration and learn from each other. Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao in China and Gurudev Tagore in India, sought each other out in search of a modernity that did not disown our illustrious past. The establishment of Cheena Bhavan in Gurudev Tagore's Shantiniketan, to impart knowledge of China and Chinese language, and similar early initiatives at the prestigious Peking University to facilitate study of Indian history, philosophy and languages, signified continued relevance of each nation to the other. I am particularly glad that in Shanghai, I will be unveiling a bust of Gurudev Tagore, and that China on its part will support the setting-up of a "Tagore and China Gallery" in Kolkata.

In fact, the leaders of India's freedom movement and the political leaders of China extended support to each other. In this, I recall the role played by the Aid China Medical Mission sent by India's national leaders, to pledge our solidarity with the Chinese people, in their war of resistance against Japanese aggression in the late-1930s and the early-1940s. The selfless work done by young Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis and his colleagues in those tumultuous years, has become legend in both countries, and continues to inspire us to this day. We are fortunate to have in our presence Dr. Vatsala Kotnis, the sister of Dr. Kotnis, who has come all the way from India to be present with us on this occasion.

I would be remiss if I don't recognize the effort made by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries over the years, in keeping alive the memories of Dr. Kotnis and the Indian Medical Mission in China. Only two years ago, teams of young medical professionals from India and China exchanged fruitful visits, under an initiative launched under the auspices of this institution.

I recall the contributions of Prof. Ji Xinlin and Prof. Tan Zhong in enhancing India-China understanding. Both have been presented the Padma Awards, the highest civilian Awards in India, for their selfless efforts.

In the more contemporary era, we have overcome difficult challenges to emerge as modern polities and promising economies. Even in my short stay, I have been impressed by the amazing achievements of China on many fronts. This only confirms the prevalent belief in India that much can be learnt from experiences of China, which is a similarly placed emerging economy, with similar aspirations. As each of us focus on our national development goals, there is growing scope for cooperation between our two countries. In the international arena too, our common interests and shared concerns provide the basis for working together. I have no doubt that the enormous potential for cooperation can be realized in times to come, and both Governments are working towards that objective.

Being in the company of so many friends of India in China, redoubles my confidence that Government efforts will be reinforced by popular energies that have defined our relations over millennia. In this age of globalization and seamless communication, our vibrant and enterprising peoples still need to remain at the centre of our relations. Mutual awareness about each other and mutual understanding of each other's sensitivities, will hold the key to deeper and sturdier friendship. I am sure that the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is dedicated to this, to the same extent that we in India are.

My visit to China is an affirmation of these age-old, but relevant facets of our relationship. My visit itself takes place on the 60th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations, that brings back memories of our early solidarity and rewarding cooperation as modern nation-states. My discussions, yesterday and today, with the Chinese leadership have emphasized the noteworthy progress that cooperation has achieved in recent years and charted the course for further progress.

Tomorrow, I will be inaugurating the Indian-style Buddhist shrine at the White Horse Temple complex in Luoyang, that is so deeply associated with our historical contacts. This shrine will be a tribute to contacts between the peoples of our two countries.

The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries plays a vital role, as a bridge and promotes goodwill between our two societies. I am aware of your many commendable initiatives in that regard, including in the form of the India-China Friendship Association. I am, therefore, very pleased to be able to spend an evening with the friends of India in China.

Thank you.