India and China, two of the world’s most populous nations, signed four agreements aimed at fostering stronger cultural and people-to-people connections. These agreements cover a variety of areas, including Cultural Exchanges, Healthcare, Sports, and Museum Management.
Enhancing Cultural Exchange
The first agreement focuses on promoting cultural exchanges by preserving intangible cultural heritage, organizing diverse cultural activities, and managing archaeological heritage sites. The idea behind this agreement is to strengthen mutual understanding and appreciation for each other’s rich cultural history.
Boosting Cooperation in Healthcare
The second agreement intends to enhance cooperation in the field of traditional medicine. Both India and China possess deep knowledge of traditional medicine, accumulated over centuries. This collaboration aims to leverage this knowledge for the betterment of healthcare in both countries.
Promoting Sports Exchanges
The third agreement is geared towards encouraging exchanges between the national sports associations, sports persons, and youth of the two nations. The goal is to strengthen cooperation around international sports events and ultimately enhance the sporting prowess of both nations.
Collaboration in Museum Management
The fourth agreement endeavors to promote a partnership between the Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, China, and the National Museum in New Delhi, India. Both of these museums are amongst the largest and best known in their respective countries.
| Hubei Provincial Museum | National Museum, New Delhi |
|---|---|
| One of the best-known museums in China | One of the largest museums in India |
| Has a large amount of state-level historic and cultural relics | Established in 1949, has articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern artworks |
This partnership aims at exhibitions, protection and restoration of collections, and archaeological excavations.
China’s Initiatives at Kailash Mansarovar
To enhance the comfort of the pilgrims heading to Kailash Mansarovar, the Chinese government has invested $5.21 million in accommodation facilities at various points along the pilgrimage route. These reception centres each have around 150 beds and provide amenities like charging points, a common kitchen, and a common washroom, as well as food for the pilgrims.
Ladakh and Line of Actual Control (LAC)
The External Affairs Minister of India has assured China that India’s decision to exercise more administrative control over Ladakh won’t impact India’s external boundaries or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The LAC is a 4,057-km porous border separating India and China, stretching across diverse terrains such as glaciers, snow deserts, mountains, and rivers. The LAC traverses three areas— Western (Ladakh, Kashmir), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal), and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal). Several accords and agreements have been signed since 1993 to reduce tensions along this border and to prevent any flare-up.
