Chinese officials attend I-Day reception hosted by Indian Consulate in Shanghai

Beijing, Aug 16 (PTI) Senior Chinese officials, members of the diplomatic, business and Indian communities attended a reception hosted by the Indian Consulate in Shanghai on Saturday to celebrate the 79th Independence Day.

Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government Zhang Ying, who attended the event, spoke of strengthening India-China relations.

“The National Day Reception reflects the growing partnership between Shanghai and India,” he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the consulate.

“We are delighted to join in celebrating India’s Independence Day and look forward to further strengthening our cultural and economic ties for mutual prosperity, especially as India-China celebrate 75 years of their diplomatic ties and we get ready to welcome Prime Minister Modi to China for the SCO Summit,” he said.

Consul Generals of over 30 nations, including Australia, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, and Malaysia, attended the reception.

Consul General Pratik Mathur said the reception was a vibrant celebration of India’s independence and its deep-rooted connections with Shanghai.

“We are honoured to share this moment with our esteemed guests, whose presence underscores the strong bonds of friendship and collaboration between India and China,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled for August 31-September 1 in Tianjin, China. PTI KJV RD ZH RD