India’s young politicians met Chinese officials to foster common bonds between the two countries on Monday. Trying to bring about a much needed change in India’s political image in the eyes of the world, the politicians were led by Sachin Pilot, a member of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) of the Indian National Congress. Pilot is heading a delegation of young Indian members of parliament at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The delegation met with Hua Jianmin, a senior Chinese legislator in a bid to share broad common interests between China and India, two of the largest developing nations.

“The friendship between China and India is beneficial to both countries and Asia and the world at large” Pilot said. He added that India was ready to work with China to take advantage of parliamentary, political party and non-government exchanges to expand and promote the cooperation in such fields as energy, poverty alleviation, agriculture and infrastructure construction. He told Xinhua he believed the Beijing Olympic Games would be a great success.

The MPs also attended a dinner hosted by Indian ambassador Nirupama Rao to welcome them as well as a 100-strong youth delegation from India on Sunday evening. The delegation has representatives from all Indian states except Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims to be part of its territory.

Over the next few days, the MPs are scheduled to meet several other Communist Party leaders in Beijing and Shanghai.

The youth delegation is led by S K Arora, secretary in the Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs. Talking to mediapersons on Sunday, Arora said the government was considering ways to enhance interaction between the youth of the two countries. One of the proposals being considered is sending Indian social workers to China, he said. Another proposal, which comes from the Chinese side, is exchange of young entrepreneurs, he said.

Recently, a team of Indian doctors worked in China’s villages for some time to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dr Kotnis’s visit to China, the Times of India reported.

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