The opening ceremony of 2016 Huzhou-India Cooperation Week is held in Huzhou Grand Theater on Oct 31. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn] 

The 2016 Huzhou-India Cooperation Week got underway on Oct 31 in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, aimed at accelerating exchanges and cooperation on economy, culture and trade, and further carrying out the Belt and Road Initiative strategy. 

The event, co-organized by the Huzhou municipal government and the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, will last to the middle of November. 

Qiu Dongyao, the municipal Party secretary, met a delegation from the consulate on Oct 31. He extended a warm welcome to the Indian delegates and introduced the economic and social development of Huzhou. 

Qiu anticipates that the two countries will have deeper exchanges and cooperation in all sectors of society with China's Belt and Road Initiative strategy and opening up policy. "The Huzhou-India Week is going to be a good platform for establishing a cooperative, friendly and win-win relationship between the two sides," he added. 

India will show its local conditions and customs in song and dance, cuisine, movies, and cultural arts, as well as its economy and trade. Prakash Gupta, India consul-general in Shanghai, expressed his expectation of closer and fruitful exchanges and cooperation with Huzhou. 

The opening ceremony of Huzhou-India Cooperation Week was held in the Huzhou Grand Theater. During the event, some activities like a forum on business and investment, an Indian food festival, an art exhibition and a film festival will be held successively. 

As an all-round event, the week is expected to promote the communication between people from Huzhou and India, to boost the internationalization of Huzhou and to help Huzhou explore the vast Southeast Asian market.

Businessmen from Huzhou and India discuss financial matters and trade at a business and investment forum. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]