Today, on the International Yoga Day the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi expressed the opinion that yoga plays an important role in world unity. New Delhi regards the Yoga Day as an important tool of soft power, contributing to strengthening India's position in the world. China also actively exploits soft power tools in the form of economic expansion and lending, as well as Russia, which is mainly using the humanitarian component.
At the first conference of the Russian Committee for Solidarity and Cooperation with the Peoples of Asia and Africa in the format of an all-Russian organization? which was held in Moscow a few days ago, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui recalled that since the establishment of the Soviet Committee for Solidarity with Asian and African Countries in 1956, he invariably made efforts to develop friendly relations: "During the Soviet era, the committee made an important contribution to the development of people's diplomacy in the relations between the countries of Asia and Africa. To date, the committee's units have been set up in more than 40 subjects of the Russian Federation. The Committee continues to play an important role in the implementation of Russia's popular diplomacy towards the countries of Asia and Africa. China has established a strategic partnership with many countries in Asia, and the deep friendship between China and Africa has stood the test of time and is becoming stronger and deeper. Russia has unique advantages in contacts with the countries of Asia and Africa and offers an example of such relations to the whole world. "
Meanwhile, according to the chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Group of Companies SoyuzNefteGaz, chairman of the Board of the Union of Oil and Gas Producers of Russia, Yuri Shafranik, Russian business could not yet take advantage of those opportunities to strengthen relations with the countries of Asia and Africa, provided by the government: "We have not realized this potential to the full. There is so much to do in the field where politically everything has already taken place, but the business still does not have any projects. Having been engaged in business councils and other forms of what we call popular diplomacy for a long time, I support the restoration of the status of relations, including through the committee. What we call popular diplomacy in the common information space, refers more to the humanitarian direction. Cultural cooperation, cooperation between people is priceless. People's diplomacy in terms of establishing relationships, meeting people, speaking the same language and wanting to do business projects is also priceless. Any forms are not just possible here but necessary. But today the luggage that was created by the USSR must be filled with a different base and other content, other people, other relations. Generations change, managers change in all countries. Loss of continuity, loss of contacts are disastrous for business. Business should invest serious, big money in the process of promoting people's diplomacy."
