India and China sign 24 agreements including tourism
TBN Report —-
BEIJING: India and China have signed 24 agreements in Beijing after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Both the countries signed these agreements on enhancing bilateral cooperation including tourism sector during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China.
The agreement on tourism will help both countries in creating an institutional mechanism for enhancing cooperation in the tourism sector, according to an official release.
The main objectives of the agreement is to expand bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector, exchange information and data related to tourism and to encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders including hotels and tour operators, among others.
The agreement also aims to establish exchange programmes for cooperation in human resource development and attract investment in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Besides, participation in travel fairs and exhibitions in each other’s country and promotion of safe, honourable and sustainable tourism are to be covered under the agreement with China.
India and China had signed an agreement in the area of tourism in 2002, which expired in 2012.A total of 1,74,712 tourists from Mainland China visited India in 2013 as against 1,68,952 in 2012.
The agreement would be significant in view of the fact that China is observing the Year 2015 as ‘Visit India Year’ while India as a reciprocal move, would observe 2016 as ‘Visit China Year’.
Earlier,Prime Minister Modi was received by the Governor of Shaanxi Province Lou Qinjian, and Vice Foreign Minister of China Liu Zhenmin in Xi’an, the capital of China’s Shaanxi Province on May 14.Modi visited the Terracotta Warriors Museum, Daxingshan Temple and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an yesterday.
Indian PM was received by the President of China Xi Jinping, at the Shaanxi Guest House. Modi was given a traditional Tang Dynasty welcome at a ceremony at the South City Wall in Xi’an.
Chinese President Xi and Modi reached an important consensus on promoting the bilateral strategic partnership of cooperation and forging a closer partnership of development in September 2014 during his visit to India.
The two countries could strengthen communication on the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Modi’s “Act East” policy and find areas of common interest, Xi said.
List of agreements signed by India and China:
– Protocol for establishment of consulates in Chengdu and Chennai
– Cooperation in vocational education and skill development and setting up of Mahatma Gandhi institute on skill development in India
– Consultative mechanism on cooperation in trade negotiations
– Cooperation between Foreign Ministry and and Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CCCPC)
– Action plan between national railway administration of China and Indian Railways
– Memorandum of Understanding on education exchange programme
– Cooperation in the fields of mining and minerals
– Space cooperation outline
– Safety regulations on importing Indian rapeseed meal
– Broadcasting agreement between CCTV and Doordarshan
– Agreement for cooperation in the field of tourism
– Memorandum of Understanding on establishing India-China think tanks forum
– Memorandum of Understanding between NITI Aayog and Development Research Centre
– Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in earthquake science and engineering
– Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in ocean sciences, climate change and cryosphere
– Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in geo sciences
– Memorandum of Understanding on establishment states/provincial leaders’ forum
– Cooperation between states and municipalities – establishment of India-China state leaders forum
– Agreement on the establishment of sister states Sichuan and Karnataka
– Agreement on the establishment of sister cities between Chennai and Chongqing
– Agreement on the establishment of sister cities between Hyderabad and Gingdao
– Agreement on the establishment of sister cities Aurangabad and Dunhuang
– Memorandum of Understanding between ICCR and Fudan University for establishment of centre for Gandhian studies
– Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of Yoga college in Kumning
PM Modi will address a business gathering in Shanghai during his three day visit to China.
Input from Agencies
May 15, 2015
