Speech by Her Excellency the President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil to the Indian Community

Fellow citizens,

I am very happy to be in Shanghai as part of my State visit to China. For all of you who live and work so many miles away from home, I bring with me the greetings and good wishes for you from India.

Shanghai represents the profound transformation underway in China. It embodies the opportunities that China's spectacular growth offers to the world, including to enterprising people from India. You have shared in, and actively contributed to this growth story. It is, therefore, appropriate that I meet the Indian community in China in its most global city - Shanghai. At the same time, through your work and life here and elsewhere in China, you have become messengers of India-China friendship, modern-day Dharmaratnas and Kumarajeevas. It is to you that the task of carrying forward our lasting traditions of friendship has been bequeathed.

India and China represent two of the oldest continuing civilizations in the world. We have had centuries of harmonious contacts, and our interaction has enriched each of our societies. Earlier today, I was in the historical city of Luoyang, where I had the privilege of dedicating an Indian-style Buddhist temple within the precincts of the famous White Horse Temple, as a gift from the people of India to the people of China. The temple will be a lasting symbol of friendship between our two countries. Tomorrow, it will be my honour to unveil, here in Shanghai, a bust of Gurudev Tagore - a poet, writer, scholar, painter, philosopher and the author of our National Anthem.

My visit to China coincides with the 60th Anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China. In recent years, our bilateral ties have expanded and diversified considerably. India and China enjoy a thriving trade and economic relationship, vibrant cultural ties and also greater people-to-people exchanges. That many of you are living in Shanghai testifies to this fact. India and China work closely on many important global issues, including climate change, international financial and economic matters at the G-20 and at the Doha Round of global trade negotiations. At Beijing over the past few days, I have had wide-ranging and constructive discussions with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders. Their commitment to strengthening India - China ties was evident in all our interactions.

This year we have organized a cultural 'Festival of India in China'. I understand that it has been very well received and has given the people of China an insight into our rich heritage. Our participation at the Shanghai Expo 2010, is also an integral part of our outreach to the Chinese people, which allows us to project our values and ethos.

Overseas Indians are known in their host countries as law-abiding, hard-working and friendly. While they retain close contacts with the motherland, they also make a mark in the country they make their home. The Indian community in China, which includes all of you here today, has a special responsibility of creating goodwill and functioning as a bridge between our two nations. Your interactions with the local people and your achievements here in China, will shape perceptions about India. I am confident that you will bear this in mind and like other Indian overseas communities, present the very best face of India. I would also like to add that we also deeply appreciate the contribution made by the Overseas Indian Community to the progress of India.

With this message, I thank you for your contributions to building closer India - China ties and wish all of you great success and prosperity. Thank You.

Jai Hind!