Patna: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is also the director of India Foundation, on Thursday said that India and China were fighting global challenges together.
"India and China are not just two countries but two great civilizations which share an ancient cultural, trade and knowledge relationship," said Madhav. He was speaking at a Nalanda University-India Foundation initiative titled "Interaction on India - China Relations in the New Era" at Nalanda University on Thursday.
He said the Nalanda University initiative of holding the function should be viewed as an exercise to overcome trust deficit between the two countries. "The coming together is the beginning, living together is the progress and working together is the success. The two countries should strive for working together to address regional and global issues," said Madhav. Around 30 scholars, policy makers and experts from India and China attended the dialogue.
Speaking on the occasion, Nalanda University vice-chancellor Prof Sunaina Singh emphasised the role of Nalanda University in continuing the traditional civilizational exchange in Asia in general, and with China in particular. She asserted that Nalanda University was set to play a key role in promoting collaboration and cooperation among the two great Asian civilizations.
In his introductory remarks, Major General Dhruv C. Katoch, defence expert and another director of India Foundation, explained the motivation behind starting this dialogue initiative. "Ancient Nalanda University acted as a knowledge hub and promoted a shared understanding of humanity. The platform should be used to discuss and deliberate upon the shared concerns and challenges both the countries are facing in the contemporary world," Katoch said.
Delivering the special address, Prof Zhang Jiadong of Fudan University, China, said India and China are rising economies and have a great future. To harness the benefits of growing strong together, the two should change their mindset towards each other.
He asserted that the idea of Nalanda and its legacy is highly valued in China and it can act as a bridge to start more cooperation between the two countries.