Must learn each other’s lingo: Sushma in China

Beijing, April 23

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday asked Indians and Chinese to learn each other’s language as it would help them overcome the communication barriers, which could further strengthen relations between the two neighbours.

Swaraj, who is on a four-day China visit, made the remarks during a programme, titled ‘Contribution of Hindi in India-China Friendship’, organised by the Indian Embassy. “When two friends sit together, what do they want? They want to talk their hearts out to each other, share what they feel. And for that we need a language. I should be able to understand Chinese when you speak, and you should be able to understand Hindi when I talk,” Swaraj said.

“If there is an interpreter sitting between two friends, he may be able to translate the words, but not the feelings with which I say something. So, it is essential that we learn a language, and understand it,” she said. “I want to say that the way India and China’s relation are strengthening, trade is increasing, we are working together on international forums, it has become increasingly important that you learn Hindi and we learn Chinese,” the External Affairs Minister said.

She invoked the success of Bollywood hits such as “Dangal”, “Secret Superstar” and “Hindi Medium” to stress that Hindi films are gaining popularity in China, but said an understanding of the language instead of subtitles could improve their experiences of watching such films. At present, around 400 students learn Hindi as a subject in about 16 universities across China, said Prof Jiang Jingkui, the Head of the Centre for South Asian Studies at Peking University in Beijing. — PTI