China-India Yoga College formally opened Friday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, following up on a promise to promote bilateral exchanges and ties, the provincial government said in a press release Saturday.
The establishment of the college was one of 24 agreements reached between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi's visit to China in May.
The college's inauguration ceremony was held Friday afternoon on its campus at Yunnan Minzu (Nationalities) University, featuring yoga and shadowboxing performances by 1,000 students and yoga students in Kunming.
The yoga college began enrolling students at the beginning of November. Two Indian tutors are giving classes in small groups and India will send more teachers as the number of yoga learners increases.
"The college has opened a new window for China-India cultural exchanges and built a platform for regional cooperation in cultural and education sectors," said Gao Feng, vice governor of Yunnan Province.
China has become yoga's "second home," according to Indian Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma. By bringing yoga to China, he said the college would promote cultural exchange and cement bilateral ties.
