China and India, as the largest developing nations and key members of the Global South, must collaborate to foster development and contribute to global peace and stability, carrying the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, said Xu Wei, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata.

He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to China in 1924 at Visva-Bharati University today. The two-day international conference, jointly organised by Cheena Bhavan, Visva-Bharati, and the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata, brought together scholars and experts from both nations to discuss India-China relations and Tagore’s profound influence on Chinese art, philosophy, and literature. Avijit Banerjee, head of the department at Cheena Bhavan, stated that senior professors and research scholars from various universities, including Beijing Foreign Studies University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), University of Hyderabad, Shiv Nadar University, Banaras Hindu University, Shenzhen University, Jiangxi Normal University, Anqing Normal University, and Huaqiao University, presented their research during the conference.

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“The discussions not only highlighted Tagore’s landmark journey to China in April 1924 but also reflected on the 75 years of India-China bilateral relations and their role in advancing global peace and stability,” Mr Banerjee said. Xu Wei emphasised that strengthening cultural ties between China and India would help preserve Tagore’s legacy for future generations, addressing ideological crises worldwide and fostering harmony. As part of the cultural exchange, renowned Beijing-based classical dancer Jessica Wu performed Bharatanatyam, accompanied by other Chinese classical dancers and Visva-Bharati students, who presented Tagore’s songs through dance.

Additionally, Wan Jia, a postdoctoral fellow from Wuhan University, delivered a lecture on the historic collaboration between India and China in combating fascist forces globally. The conference reinforced the enduring impact of Tagore’s philosophy on India-China relations and underscored the importance of cultural and academic exchanges in strengthening bilateral ties.