The Indian Friendship Delegation concluded a ten day visit to the People’s Republic of China from 16 to 26 November 2025, covering Beijing, Shandong, and Guizhou. The visit Organised with the support of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CAFLU) and CPC Centre for International Exchange, it provided a rare and immersive look at China’s technological ambitions, civilisational depth, and grassroots development success stories. As head of the delegation, I witnessed first-hand the warmth, openness, and genuine willingness to deepen India–China friendship across all levels of engagement.
A Front-Row View of China’s Technological Leap
The visit began in Beijing’s Economic and Technological Development Area, where the delegation was introduced to cutting-edge autonomous driving systems, AI-enabled mobility platforms, and next-generation smart-city solutions. Demonstrations of Robotics, L4/L5 autonomous vehicles and integrated traffic-control systems showcased China’s rapid progress in mobility innovation.
These interactions opened avenues for India–China cooperation in EV ecosystems, AI research, smart transport, digital governance, and high-speed rail engineering etc., where both countries stand to benefit through collaborative research and shared standards.
Civilisational Dialogue at the Heart of Engagement
Beyond technology, the journey illuminated China’s deep rooted cultural heritage. Visits to the Great Wall, Temple and Mansion of Confucius, Confucius Museum, andthe Nishan Sacred Site reinforced the shared civilisational values that bind India’s and China’s ethics, harmony, respect for knowledge, and spiritual depth.
Discussions with scholars at the Confucius Research Institute strengthened prospects for establishing an India–China Institute for Civilisational Dialogue, encouraging academic exchanges, joint publications, and collaborative heritage programmes.
Understanding China’s Governance and Development Model
Meetings with experts and visits to the CPC History Museum, the Third Front Construction Museum, and rural revitalization sites provided valuable insight into China’s Governance philosophy, institutional reforms, and poverty alleviation strategies. The delegation studied local models of ecological tourism, digital administration, community led development, and ethnic cultural preservation, a knowledge base that holds relevance for India’s own rural transformation and governance modernization efforts.
Engaging China’s Provinces: Shandong and Guizhou
Provincial interactions formed the backbone of the visit. In Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius, the delegation engaged with cultural institutions and provincial leaders, including a banquet hosted by the Shandong Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee. Partnerships in tourism, agriculture, education, and sister-city cooperation were actively discussed.
In Guizhou, the delegation explored China’s rural revitalization models, including heritage towns such as Yanjiao Town, Gaodang Village, zhenning Bouyei and Miao Autonomous County, Huangguoshu Waterfall, Liupanshui City, Museum, Yunixiang Yi Ethnic Township, and the vibrant community initiatives of Yanbo Village. These experiences highlighted opportunities in eco-tourism, creative industries, rural tourism circuits, and community development programmes.
A Renewed Foundation for India–China Friendship
The visit underscored the enduring importance of people-to-people diplomacy. Universities, cultural institutions, local Governments, and technological clusters in China expressed strong willingness to deepen engagement with their Indian counterparts.
Emerging priorities include:
- Exchanges between young leaders and scholars
- Cultural festivals and heritage collaborations
- Joint research in AI, big data, green mobility, rural development
- Reciprocal provincial delegations
- Enhanced tourism and creative industry partnerships
Conclusion
The Indian Friendship Delegation’s visit to China was not merely a tour, it was a strategic, cultural, and intellectual bridge building exercise. It reaffirmed the vast potential for India and China to work together, learn from each other, and foster mutual respect. The goodwill experienced across all three provinces signals a promising pathway for expanding cooperation rooted in shared civilisational richness and forward-looking technological ambition.
This visit has laid a strong foundation for a renewed chapter in India–China friendship that is collaborative, people centric, and future ready.
***
