(New Delhi, 19 September 2011)

Your Excellency Mr. Ajay Maken, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports,

Honorable Ms. Sinddhushree Khullar, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon!

I am very glad to welcome you all to the Chinese Embassy. I must say this is the first time for us to receive and entertain such a big group of Indian friends. Before you start your journey to China, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in India, I want to express our best wishes to all of you. Wish you a very pleasant, interesting, rewarding and memorable visit.

Your visit to China is a major event of the Year of Exchange between China and India in 2011, announced by our leaders during the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India last year. The visit is intended to further expand the youth exchange in keeping with the overall growing people-to-people contact and exchanges between our two countries. This is a strategic move of our leaders aiming at building solid foundation for the future of our relationship. You are all goodwill ambassadors who can play important role in the development of the bilateral relationship between China and India in the years to come.

As a close neighbor of India, China shares strong historical and cultural connections with India. We are mutually influenced and complemented each other over more than 2000 years. Both have made great contribution to the development of world civilization. You may have learned and read much about China's recent development. Over past few decades, China has undergone tremendous changes. Your visit will take you to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other parts of China. Like India, China is a vast country. Each region has its unique human and cultural characteristics. As a developing Country, the level of development in China differs from place to place. You will see some areas are very developed and some are in the process of developing, while others are still under­-developed. As saying goes: Seeing is believing. This trip will offer you a valuable opportunity to see China with your own eyes. Based on what you have seen and what you have heard, especially through your direct contacts with people from all walks of life in China, you will have a better understanding about China and arrive at your own conclusion.

Your visit will also provide a good opportunity for youth of two countries to interact with each other. The youth in China are very keen about India. They are open-minded and may raise a lot of questions to you. You also can feel free to discuss issues of your interest with them. Apart from that, it is also a good opportunity to appreciate the culture of the two countries. Yesterday we saw excellent performances you plan to bring to China. I'm pretty sure that people in China will fall in love with colorful Indian dances and songs. I have learnt that among the members of the delegation there are people from different professions. I hope during your visit, you will make new friends in China. For those young entrepreneurs can also find partners for cooperation.

China and India are two fast growing economies. Our strategic cooperative partnership is developing in an all-round manner. I am confident, with the joint efforts of two countries, especially the support of the youth of two countries, our bilateral relations will grow stronger and stronger.

With this note I wish you a pleasant journey to China.

Thank you.