On October 14, 2011, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun met with the delegation of the Board of Nalanda University of India led by Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics Amartya Sen in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The two sides exchanged opinions on the rebuilding of Nalanda University and China-India cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation.

Nalanda University was known in ancient times as Nalanda Temple where Monk Xuanzang of Tang Dynasty fetched Buddhist scriptures. The rebuilding of Nalanda University is a key educational cooperation program of East Asia Summit. Premier Wen Jiabao announced at the fifth East Asia Summit in October 2010 that China supports the rebuilding of Nalanda University and welcomes the Board of the University to have meetings in China.

Before coming to Beijing, the Board members visited Xi’an and toured Da Ci'en Temple.