Exchanges

China， India Sign Concrete Agreements as Relations Warm

China and India reached a number of practical agreements during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis first visit to China since he took office. Following a meeting on May 15， 2015 between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Modi the two leaders signed 24 agreements on matters ranging from high-speed railways， military and border issues， to the establishment of a yoga college in the southwestern city of Kunming.

The two sides agreed that enhanced military ties are conducive to mutual trust and confidence， according to a joint statement released after the meeting. The respective armies will hold their fifth joint counter-terrorism exercise this year. Having committed to better border cooperation， annual visits and exchanges are planned between their military headquarters and neighboring military commands. Both will endeavor to achieve a better balance of bilateral trade， particularly as regards Indian pharmaceutical and agricultural imports， and to reduce tariffs on Indian products. China also resolved to help India solve its infrastructure problems. Chinas National Railway Administration and Indias Ministry of Railways have signed a railway cooperation action plan. The two sides moreover agreed to establish a China-India Think Tanks Forum and a High Level Media Forum， both of which will meet annually， alternately in China and India.

As the worlds two largest developing countries， China and India have huge potential by virtue of their domestic needs as they both strive towards industrialization and urbanization， Li said， adding that local cooperation will stimulate the market. China and India also published a joint statement on climate change.

Modi met President Xi Jinping on May 14 at the start of his three-day visit， at the Chinese leaders ancestral home in Shaanxi Province.

Chinese， Bulgarian Academies Sign Scientific Cooperation Agreement

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences signed a cooperation agreement on April 24， 2015 in Sofia. According to the agreement， signed by presidents of the two institutions Wang Weiguang and Stefan Vodenicharov， the parties will promote academic cooperation in the fields of the Belt and Road Initiatives between Chinese and Bulgarian researchers. Sharing opinions at the signing ceremony， Wang made three proposals related to the implementation of the agreement， including conducting a joint study on the implementation of the Chinese sides Belt and Road Initiatives； the development of a mechanism on collaboration between Chinese and Bulgarian think tanks； and the undertaking of a comparative study on social development of the two countries. In turn， Vodenicharov said the suggestions were very important， and their implementation would benefit the two sides.endprint

Vodenicharov also awarded Wang with an honorary insignia for his achievements in the study of important theoretical issues in the fields of philosophy and social sciences.

Beijing Launch of the Chinese Editions of Kofi Annans Memoirs and Selected Speeches

April 22 saw the launch in Beijing of the Chinese editions of two books by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan， We the Peoples： A UN for the 21st Century and Interventions： A Life in War and Peace. Kofi Annan attended the launch ceremony， co-sponsored by China International Publishing Group（CIPG） and the Kofi Annan Foundation.

CIPG President Zhou Mingwei said in his speech at the ceremony that Mr. Annan had devoted his entire life and career to UN affairs and to the human peace and development cause. The two books will give young Chinese readers a better understanding of the UN and of Annan himself， help them form an international perspective， and promote dissemination of the spirit and ideals of the UN Charter in China.

We the Peoples： A UN for the 21st Century encapsulates Kofi Annans most momentous and moving speeches during his tenure as UN Secretary-General. The speeches topics encompass development， health， climate change， prevention of genocide， and the ideal of diversity， all of which underline the UNs deep involvement in these most important issues of the era.

Yilin Press published the Chinese edition of Annans memoir Interventions： A Life in War and Peace， in which Annan shares， in a lively and candid tone， his life experience and the events in his political career. He sets down his unique experience and roles in the wake of 9/11 and the U.S.s occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan， the Middle East peace talks， the brutal conflicts in Somalia， Rwanda， Bosnia， Kosovo， and East Timor， and the humanitarian disaster in Darfur.

China， EU Hold Highlevel Strategic Dialogue

The fifth round of high-level strategic dialogue， co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini， took place in Beijing on May 5， 2015. In his speech， Yang said that to further the China-EU partnership， priority should be given to implementing the consensus that President Xi Jinping reached with European leaders last March to build a partner- ship of peace， growth， reform and civilization. China and the EU agree to enhance understanding and trust， promote trade cooperation， and speed up negotiations over a bilateral investment treaty. Both sides will also step up cooperation in climate change and connectivity， and prepare for the 17th China-EU leaders meeting this year. Yang said that China and the EU should urge the international community to safeguard the outcomes of WWII， uphold the UN Charter and contribute to world peace and stability.

Mogherini said that the EU pays tribute to the enormous sacrifice made by the Chinese people in the war， and expressed support for Chinas work towards a common peaceful future.endprint