Jiang Jingkui, a professor of Indian Studies at Peking University (3rd L), shows photos to Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong (2nd L) at the China-India Cultural Contacts Photo Exhibition during the New Delhi World Book Fair-2020 in New Delhi, India, Jan. 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

The photo exhibition presents a chronological and comprehensive account of people, objects and events in the history of China-India cultural exchanges.

by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Inside hall No. 7 at Pragati Maidan, a vast ground venue designed for exhibitions, a pavilion set amid bookstalls in New Delhi World Book Fair-2020 takes visitors down a memory lane into over 2,000 years of cultural exchanges between China and India through photographs.

The exhibition was inaugurated Saturday by Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong, who also walked through the sections to see photographs on display.

According to officials in charge of the event, the exhibition presents a chronological and comprehensive account of people, objects and events in the history of China-India cultural exchanges.

"Our photos trace the relationship that India and China enjoyed in the past," said Jiang Jingkui, a professor of Indian Studies at Peking University. "We are working toward strengthening our bilateral relations and I invite the people of India to visit China and explore it."

The photo exhibition showcased photographs of ancient leaders, philosophers and modern-day political leaders from both countries.

"China-India relations are very complicated, which cannot be fully illustrated with a hundred photos and thousands of words," reads a note put at the end of the photo exhibition. "We have selected the photos with descriptions in hope of giving you a general account of the 2,000 years of cultural exchanges between China and India."

An Indian visitor looks at photos at the China-India Cultural Contacts Photo Exhibition during the New Delhi World Book Fair-2020 in New Delhi, India, Jan. 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

Few cubicles away from the pavilion is China's bookstall conspicuously showcasing Chinese books in English.

"If you want to understand China, you have to read about China, then only you can understand its history, culture, science and technology and its economics," the Chinese ambassador said while delivering a keynote lecture at the Chinese stall during the book fair.

"As you will read the book "Up and Out of Poverty" by (Chinese President) Xi Jinping, you will find out the secret which helped China to lift people out of poverty."

Hundreds of people, especially book lovers, thronged the venue to have a look at the books and other cultural events at the display inside New Delhi World Book Fair-2020 that began here on Saturday.

Book lovers young and old were making a beeline to the halls showcasing a wide array of books and cultural activity.

The fair will go on until Jan. 12 much to the delight of visitors and those interested in looking at the world through books.

"Both India and China are the greatest civilisations and because of the huge population that we have if we come together and send a voice, nobody can ignore that," the Chinese ambassador said.

"Books open a big window to the world outside. I hope the books here will built bridges between China and India." the ambassador said.

At the stall, visitors walk through the chambers having hundreds of Chinese books translated into English displayed on its shelves.

People visit the New Delhi World Book Fair-2020 in New Delhi, India, Jan. 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

The visiting publishers from China hope to strengthen their ties with India by providing a glimpse of China's culture and knowledge.

"Hope our efforts will bring two countries together and pave a way to understand each others' culture," said Wang Yixuan, vice chairman of Phoenix publishing and media group.

India and China established diplomatic relations in 1950.

The year 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China. Both countries have earmarked 70 different programs to celebrate the bond between them and photo exhibition forms part of such commemoration.

"Every year I come to this fair and visit the China counter to see what new books are available," said Anuja Kholi, a visitor and China watcher. "I even went to the photo exhibition gallery to have a look at the photographs that bring alive the relationship between India and China."

The World Book Fair in New Delhi touted as "Asia's largest book fair" attracted around 1 million visitors.

Around Delhi, the billboards and posters about the book fair are dotting the roads and markets. Even posters have been pasted on the back of auto-rickshaws (a common form of urban transport in India) to lure people. The tickets for the fair have been kept available at multiple places for the convenience of visitors. ■