June 21 marks the International Yoga Day. A special event was held in the city of Kunming in Southwest China to mark the occasion and promote cultural exchanges between China and India. Yang Jinghao reports.

Martial arts are an important part of Chinese culture. In India, the same can be said for Yoga, a physical fitness technique that dates back 5,000 years.

To mark International Day of Yoga, a special presentation was put on in the city of Kunming to show how these two traditional practices continue to learn from each other. It's also a prelude to a seminar on how to promote cultural exchanges between China and India.

Participants highlighted the role of yoga and martial arts in improving people's health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discussed how cultural activities could expand cooperation between the two countries.

CHEN LIJUN Vice President, China (Kunming) Institute of South Asia and Southeast Asia "China and India are two emerging economies. Through such cultural exchanges, we can explore more areas for cooperation, especially in trade. For example, besides software, there are also great potentials in sectors like medicine, and chemical, machinery and auto making industries."

The two countries have also had extensive cooperation in the education sector. In 2015, Yunnan Minzu University created China's first institute specializing in yoga and Tai Chi. During the event, the university signed an agreement with another Indian counterpart.

DUAN GANG Vice President, Yunnan Minzu University "Apart from personnel exchanges, we'll also cooperate on more areas like academic research and creation of think-tanks, to further enhance the role of education in boosting ties between the two countries."

Many say as mutual exchanges diversify and increase, friendship between the two nations will also grow stronger.

YATINDRA DUTT AMOLI Yoga Teacher of India "Not only politicians have the responsibility to make a cultural connection or make a friendly bridge between two countries, but the scholars, the practitioners and the common people of that country also have a responsibility to make a better understanding of each other."

YANG JINGHAO Kunming, Yunnan Province "Promoting people-to-people bonds is an important aspect of the Belt and Road Initiative. Experts say it's also a cornerstone for China and India to tap more cooperation potential. And this needs continuous efforts from both sides. YJH, CGTN, Yunnan Province."