Ms.Ma Jia, Chargé d'affaires of Chinese Embassy in India,

Mr. Zha Liyou, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata\

Mr.Xing Tongqing, CEO of Bank of China, India Branch

Ms.Kranti Prabhu, President of India-China Friendship Association Maharashtra Branch

Dr. Sumangala Borkar and Dr. Rajan Borkar, Family of Dr. Kotnis

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

I would like to warmly welcome all of you to join the 22th Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students India Final. This is the first time that the competition has been held in Mumbai. This competition carries a lot of meanings.

Mumbai-China connections have a long history. Over 200 years ago, Chinese craftsmen and merchants travelled thousands of miles across the ocean to Mumbai，set down roots and lived for generations. Today we can still see traditional Chinese temples and Chinese customs here. They are the testimony of peaceful and harmonious interaction between Chinese and Indian people . In 1938, Dr. Kotnis led the Indian medical assistance mission to set sail from Mumbai and started the journey to China at the most difficult time. He sacrificed his life in China for Chinese national salvation after fighting alongside with Chinese people and saving countless lives. His spirits are the most solid cornerstone of friendship bridge between China and India. In 2014, Shanghai and Mumbai established sister-city relationship. Sharing similar destiny and glowing with vibrancy, the two sisters are working together to enhance China-India cooperation and lead the rise of Asia.

Language is the carrier of culture and bridge of communication. I’m sure that both Chinese and Indian people have much deeper understanding than other nations. China’s The Book of Songs written 3000 years ago can still strike a chord for readers today. And India’s Rigveda has also been chanted for 3000 years. It is the languages that carry our history and memories and that shape our national characters and way of thinking. To understand a nation, learning the language is always the first step. The Chinese language is the crystallization of China’s profound and rich history and culture. Learning Chinese is a key to open the Chinese cultural treasury and the very first step to understand China.

I’m glad to see that Chinese language education is flourishing in Mumbai. University of Mumbai and Somaiya University provide Chinese language courses. Chinese language education institutions like India China Academy are thriving. In the April, Chinese language learners and Chinese culture lovers from all India celebrated the International Chinese Language Day together in Mumbai. Their excellent Chinese skills and outpouring passion about Chinese culture impressed me. Today I would like to share three expectations to encourage the contestants rs and all the Chinese learners.

Firstly, by learning Chinese, we can build a bridge of civilization exchanges. As the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish. China and India both enjoy a long history and magnificent culture. Our old wisdom can still bring enlightenment and inspiration to today’s world. Just as the theme of Chinese Bridge Competition suggests, Chinese civilization believes in “One World, One Family” while Indian civilization also upholds “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is a family)”. It has proven that Chinese and Indian civilizations share a common soul. I believe, as long as we overcome the barrier of language, we could reach a new stage of better understanding and stronger consensus.

Secondly, by learning Chinese, we can build a bridge of win-win cooperation. As the biggest developing countries in the world, China and India are powering the global economic recovery. We are also important trade partners to each other. Our bilateral trade has surged to new highs again and again. In 2022, our trade volume reached record-high 136 billion USD. China has complete industrial system and a vast market meanwhile India enjoys rapid development with competitive goods and service, making our two countries highly complementary. By learning Chinese, our Indian friends can find new opportunities and expand new fields of cooperation in China. I believe, as long as our people join hands and work together, our development will surely reach new heights.

Thirdly, by learning Chinese, we can build a bridge of national rejuvenation together. China is advancing towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country by 2049. And India has also embarked the journey of Amrit Kaal and will be built into a developed country by 2047. We are both on the road towards national rejuvenation. I believe as long as our two countries pursue the same dreams, align our strategies, connect our markets and strengthen people-to-people ties, the world will soon witness the joint national renewal of the two ancient civilizations of China and India, and an Asian century of prosperity and rejuvenation.

 I hope the Chinese Bridge Competition will promote mutual understanding, strengthen people-to-people bonds and encourage more people to learn Chinese language and understand China. This will be an important contribution to enhancing our thousand years’ friendship and building a community with a shared future for mankind! Now I wish all the contestants’ success in the competition.

Finally I have the honour to announce: the 22th Chinese Bridge—Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students  India Final now begins!