The Consulate General of China in Kolkata and the Tagore Institute of Peace Studies (TIPS) jointly organized an exclusive session on “Shifting Geopolitics: New Framework of China-India Relationship” in Kolkata, where Acting Consul General Qin Yong delivered the keynote address.
The session brought together more than 60 participants from think tanks, universities, media houses and other institutions. Among the distinguished speakers were TIPS Founder President Sitaram Sharma, Adamas University Vice Chancellor Prof. Suranjan Das, Prof. Tridib Chakraborti of Adamas University and Prof. Ishani Naskar of Jadavpur University. Joining virtually from China were Prof. Zhang Jiadong of Fudan University and Prof. Huang Yunsong of Sichuan University.
In his address, Qin highlighted the new consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their recent meeting in Tianjin. He also reviewed the key outcomes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit and elaborated on the significance of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed by President Xi.
Qin said the leaders’ meeting and the results of the SCO Summit have opened new opportunities for China and India to strengthen cooperation, manage differences and work toward common development. He emphasized that the Consulate General is ready to enhance exchanges across academic, cultural and economic fields in eastern India to advance China-India friendship.
Experts and scholars at the session echoed similar views, noting that the long-standing friendship between China and India reflects the aspirations of both peoples. They called for expanding economic and trade cooperation, boosting people-to-people exchanges and encouraging dialogue between civilizations.
Speakers also noted that the Global Governance Initiative aligns with the needs of the current era, providing a framework for emerging economies like China and India to cooperate on global challenges. They stressed the importance of closer coordination between the two countries within international multilateral platforms to safeguard their common interests.
The dialogue in Kolkata underscored the importance of academic and policy exchanges at a time of shifting global geopolitics. Organizers said such platforms can help foster better understanding, reduce tensions and explore new avenues of partnership between Asia’s two largest neighbors.
