Chief minister Mamata Banerjee to represent India in China

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be representing India in China during her eight-day trip to the country. She will meet senior leaders of Chinese Communist Party in Beijing on Monday as India’s representative besides trying to woo investors for her own state. MEA officials from New Delhi and the Indian ambassador to China will also be present at the meeting. It will be arranged by the Indian Embassy in the Chinese capital.
According to a senior state government official, this trip was planned following a request from external affairs minister Sushama Swaraj in March.
The Bengal chief minister is eyeing major investment from Chinese companies during her trip. After Beijing, she will be visiting Shanghai, the business capital of China.
On Tuesday, the West Bengal government, in association with local chambers, is organising a CEO’s meet in Beijing. “More than 25-30 CEO’s of top Chinese companies would participate in this meeting. We are hoping that some investment proposal may come in this meeting,” added an official. But the real big business meeting of the chief minister will be held in Shanhghai on May 28, the official added.
Incidentally, 30 Chinese companies had participated in the Bengal Global Business Summit earlier this year. Some big companies like Dong Fang and Sin Cheung Co have already set up offices and are building infrastructure in the state. China imports Darjeeling tea, jute, seafood, handicraft and garments from Bengal.
According to officials, 100-150 Chinese companies are expected to attend the meeting in Shanghai. It will be organised jointly by the West Bengal government, Ficci and the China Council For the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
A small delegation of leading industrialists from Bengal will be in Shanghai to attend the business meet. This includes RP-Sanjiv Goenka group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, Ambuja Neotia chairman Harsh Neotia, ITC CEO Sanjiv Puri, Keventer Group CMD Mayank Jalan, Luxmi Group MD Rudra Chatterjee, Patton MD Sanjay Budhia, Titagarh Group vice-chairman Umesh Chowdhary along with others.
The industrialists from Bengal will share their experience about investing in Bengal with the business community there — like they did during the chief minister’s visit to Germany, Singapore and London. “Some MoUs too are likely to be signed during the meeting,” a senior official said.