Lin Ling "Chuan Daily Observation" client reporter Liu Miaomiao He Haiyang text/photo
June 17, a reporter from "Chuan Daily Observation" met the second time in the smiling Indian Ambassador to China Kangte.
Conte brings two good news: one is that the Indian Consulate General in Chengdu is expected to open this year; the other is that India's new electronic visa system is expected to be launched in July, when Chinese citizens go to India only need to apply for visas online, and no longer have to apply at the Indian Embassy and Consulate in China.
"Sichuan is one of India's very critical partners"
"Sichuan Daily Observation" reporter: Why did India decide to set up a consulate general in Chengdu? Based on what considerations?
Conte: President Xi Jinping visited India last September, and Prime Minister Modi visited China last month. The mutual visits between the leaders of the two countries mean that China-India relations have entered a new and vibrant stage. I would like to mention that the two governments have reached a consensus that when promoting China-India bilateral relations in the future, the provinces and cities of the two countries must play a more important role. This information is very clear, because when Prime Minister Modi visited China, we organized the first China-India Local Cooperation Forum. Now the Chinese government emphasizes and attaches great importance to the development of the western region. India has established very good ties with various western provinces. I believe that the establishment of a consulate general in Chengdu will help promote this relationship.
Currently India has consular agencies in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, China. Chengdu is located in the central junction of central, southwest and northwest China. It is both a financial center and a vibrant economic center. It has a leadership role in Chengdu, which plays a key role in connecting India with China's southwest, northwest and central regions. It is believed that it will promote cooperation between China and India in various fields such as economy, trade, culture, and tourism. Sichuan is one of India’s very critical partners, and there is so much potential in this region that we need to realize the full potential. So we think that Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, is a very suitable place.
"Hope to implement electronic tourist visas in early July"
"Chuan Daily Observation" reporter: You have been vigorously promoting Chinese citizens to travel to India. I heard that India will soon introduce new policies in terms of visas?
Conte: Historically, China and India have been very close, but now the people of the two countries do not understand each other very well, so we hope to strengthen people's exchanges through tourism. Only when the two peoples maintain close interaction can a solid and solid social foundation be built and China-India bilateral relations can we promote. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to China, he said that the people of the two countries do not understand enough, and we need to change this situation. He especially hopes that more young people in China will come to India, and more young people in India will come to China to enhance mutual understanding. As you know, Prime Minister Modi also opened a Chinese Weibo account last month to interact directly with the Chinese people through Weibo, with the goal of promoting friendship between the two countries. He also posted a selfie with Premier Li Keqiang on Weibo. This photo is very popular and has 35 million views in less than two days!
Immediately India will implement an electronic tourist visa policy for Chinese tourists: If Chinese citizens want to travel to India, they do not need to apply for a visa at the Indian embassy or consulate in China, but only apply for a visa online. Once they arrive in India, we stamp their passports and they can travel in India. We are now actively studying these models, hoping to enact this new policy in early July.
"The two ancient civilizations of China and India have a history of cultural exchanges for more than two thousand years"
"Chuan Daily Observation" reporter: You are here in Chengdu this time to attend the China (Chengdu)-India International Yoga Festival. What do you think is the significance of yoga in promoting bilateral relations between China and India?
Conte: To promote the development of bilateral relations, cultural exchanges are very necessary. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to China, we held a joint display of yoga and Tai Chi at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, which is actually a suggestion from China. This action shows that both our governments attach great importance to cultural exchanges. Looking back at history, you can find that the two ancient civilizations of China and India actually have more than two thousand years of cultural exchange history. For example, Xuanzang and Faxian have both come to India.Now we are holding an international yoga festival with the Chengdu Municipal Government’s Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and the Dujiangyan Municipal Government, which is to invest in the future of India and China. We hope to continue to strengthen such cultural ties and promote the relationship between us in all aspects in the future.
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About the ancient civilization of India, you should know common sense and the six famous cities
India is located in southern Asia and is the largest country in the South Asian subcontinent. India is shaped like an inverted triangle. The land area ranks seventh in the world. The Indian government claims its territory is 3.2878 million square kilometers.
time zone: India has only one time zone! Whether it is Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata, it is two and a half hours away from Beijing, that is, if the time in Beijing is 7 o'clock, then the time in India is 4:30 in every place. The time difference between China and most countries is integers, but India is not.
Country name: Republic of India Abbreviation: India
Independence Day: August 15th every year Designed to commemorate independence from the United Kingdom.
National Flower: Lotus
National Bird: Blue Peacock
Currency: Indian Rupee is the legal currency of India, and Rs is usually used as abbreviation. Indian currencies include banknotes and coins, and 1 rupee equals 100 Paise. Among them, the denomination value of paper money includes 8 types and the denomination value of coins includes 7 types. 1 yuan is about 10 rupees.
Visa: If the electronic visa is opened, use a debit or credit card with international payment function (Mastercard/Visa) to pay the application fee and obtain a receipt. Through the Visitor Electronic Visa (eTV), finally, take the electronic visa printout and the air ticket. You can stay for 30 days from the day you arrive in India.
Travel: Contrary to my country's traffic regulations, India stipulates that driving on the left is to drive on the left. However, even if you have an international driver's license, it is not recommended to drive in India. The road conditions here are definitely not something that ordinary people can challenge.
Indian Train ticket reservation website: https://irctc.co.in/ is equivalent to the domestic 12306
The six beautiful scenery of famous cities that must be experienced
Udaipur
White city Udaipur, with the title of romantic capital, it is said to be the most romantic city in India. In the afternoon, rafting on the lake, waiting for the sunset on the beautiful Pichula Lake. In the evening, you can find a rooftop restaurant to enjoy the night view while enjoying the delicious food. There are many exquisitely decorated high-end hotels and restaurants in Baicheng. Find a hotel or hotel with the best view and enjoy the romantic scenery in Baicheng!
New Delhi
Modern and quaint, heaven and hell, here you can see what you want and what you hate. As the capital, New Delhi is the cultural, financial and economic center of India. The Indian Gate, Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Gutbuta, and Jama Mosque must not be missed.
Agra
Agra is 200 kilometers away from Delhi and is located on the banks of the Yamuna River. It is a very famous city in India. This was once the capital of the most prosperous Mughal Empire in India. It has a beautiful Taj Mahal. Every full moon night, silver moonlight shines all over the sky, and the Taj Mahal looks even more beautiful and colorful, just like a fairyland on earth.
Jaipur
Jaipur has a very poetic name - the City of Pink. It is the capital of Rajasthan and a famous ancient city in India. "Palace of Wind" can be regarded as the most famous attraction in Jaipur. It is named after standing in every corner of the palace, you can feel the wind blowing in. Jaipur has many castles around, and Amber Fort is the most worth visiting. The castle is made of milky white, light yellow, rose red and pure white stone. It looks like amber from a distance, so it is called Amber Castle.
Varanasi
Dreamy morning, bustling Holi Festival, people bathing in the Ganges River, and hawking from merchants in the alley where divine cows are rampant. Varanasi, bathed in God's gaze, also felt all the joy of the earth. Watching the fire sacrifice by the riverside, worshiping the river gods and rafting on the Ganges River to watch the sunrise, and watching the bathing under the morning glow are undoubtedly the three highlights here.
Jodhpur
Sit on the background of ancient buildings such as Melangar Castle and Jaswan Sada, sit quietly on the ground, listening to the pure and energetic music from ancient civilizations, and looking down at the endless blue city, everything is like a dream, classical and mysterious, and hitting the heart. Jodhpur is such a charming city.
(Some of the information comes from Ctrip, etc.)
Edited by Zeng Dongping
