Chinese trade delegation plans for JV in food processing

Kolkata, May 24 (UNI) Close on the heels of a Chinese automobile giant's decision to build a bus body plant in West Bengal, a high power business delegation from South West China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was keen on setting up a joint venture unit in Food Processing sector in the state.

Making the formal announcement in this regard, Vice-President (VP) and leader of the five-member delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Sun Zhenxiao today informed the members of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI) that during their two-day visit to the state they were impressed by its zeal for industrialisation programme.

''Accordingly we have primarily decided to recommend to the concerned Ministry in China about the scope of setting up joint venture unit in food processing sector in West Bengal, '' Mr Zhenxiao told the BNCCI members during an interactive meeting with them here.

He said though they had visited a number of other states, they had found West Bengal as the most attractive destination for exploring business interest.

He said despite having huge scope to improve the bilateral trade between India and China and more particularly between India and the Xinjiang Uygur Aunomous region, bordering eight countries, nothing much had been done so far.

As a result of the total volume of two-way trade of over 12 billion dollars last year, the export from Xinjiang province to India was only to the tune of 15 million dollars, Mr Zhenxiao regretted.

He stated that his region was very rich in mineral, oil and natural gas besides agriculture and agro-products and hoped that keeping in view the long socio-cultural and trade relations between the two great nations, more business in these fields besides many others could be explored.

Later to newsmen's queries about the possibility of food processing joint venture in the state, the VP delegation said they hoped to initiate further dialogue with the state Commerce Minister on the issue on their return.

Another delegation might visit the state by December to further explore the opportunity, he said adding he had also invited Indian businessmen to visit Xinjiang Uygur region soon to get a first hand view of the development of industry and farming activites there.

Earlier, the Chinese delgation, which visited some SSI and SME units dealing with handicrafts and agro-products in the state, was welcomed by BNCCI president Nayantara Pal Choudhury with a hope that more trade relation would develop between the two regions in near future with active cooperation from both governments.

UNI ABA SJC MP KN1817