Swaraj urges Indians, Chinese to learn each other's language to improve ties

Beijing : Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Monday urged the people of India and China to learn each other's language to strengthen ties between both the nations.

Addressing a media briefing at 'Contribution of Hindi in the Friendship of India and China' event here, Swaraj asserted on the importance of understanding the language of both nations to overcome communication barriers.

"The way our relations are strengthening today, it has become all the more important for Chinese students to learn Hindi and Indian students to learn Mandarin, so that you do not face language barriers when you go to India or they come down to China," she added.

She also said, "Even two foreign ministers cannot make the friendship of our countries stronger, than the students of China, who love the Hindi language."

The Minister appreciated the way Indian films are becoming increasingly popular in neighboring country China.

"Indian films are becoming increasingly popular in China. I was talking to Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday; he mentioned that Dangal, Secret Superstar and Hindi Medium are very popular here," she said.

Swaraj has also assured 25 Hindi learning students in China that soon they will be visiting India.

She further said, "A girl just said that it is her dream to visit India and she does not know when this dream will come true. Your dream will soon be true. I just asked the Indian ambassador to send 25 students out of all the Hindi learning students sitting here to India."

Yesterday, she also said both New Delhi and Beijing have agreed to work together on the issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and global healthcare.