‘India hopeful of big Chinese investments during Xi’s visit’

Sitharaman also travelled by the Chinese Bullet train from Beijing to the port city Tianjin, a distance of 113 km, which it covers in about 30 minutes. China is keen to market its bullet train in India in competition with Japan. Briefing the Indian media here after her over two-and-a- half hour talk with her Chinese counterpart Gao?Hucheng, Sitharaman said expectation are high about large-scale Chinese investments in India which could be announced during Xi’s visit, expected in the third week of this month. ‘I can safely say that there is lot of interest and keenness’ on the part of Chinese side to make Xi’s visit a big success, she said.

‘As much as we are working, they are also working to have good decisions announced during this high-profile visit.’

This is Sitharaman’s second visit to Beijing since June when she accompanied Vice President Hamid Ansari. The two sides during her visit then signed an MoU on facilitating Chinese industrial parks in India.