Mamata to visit China in June to explore biz opportunities

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she might visit China next June on an invitation from the Chinese Communist Party.

The chief minister said that she would visit the country because it wanted to invest.

"Our party has received an invitation from the Chinese Communist Party to visit that country. They have invited me".

Banerjee told mediapersons at the NSC Bose International Airport here on her return from New Delhi.

"They have requested me many times. Perhaps we may go there in June for 4/5 days. Everything has not yet been finalised. We are talking to them regarding investment in agro sector and manufacturing sector. They want to invest. That is why I want to visit", she said.

Banerjee had an invitation from Poland and Russia too, but she gave priority to China as she is keen to set up manufacturing units in Bengal. The state government has a prepared land bank, and with improved infrastructure, she is hopeful that factories may be set up there. It may be recalled that during her visit to Germany in 2016, Banerjee had requested senior officials of BMW to set up a factory to produce e-bikes. She also requested bicycle manufacturers who had attended the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) which was held in January to set up a factory as the state government needs a steady supply of cycles which will be distributed among the students of classes IX to XII in state-run, aided and sponsored schools under the Sabuj Sathi scheme.

A Chinese business delegation who had come to attend the BGBS had shown a keen interest to invest in Bengal in the manufacturing sector. Bengal is strategically very important as it is the gateway to the northeast, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Welcoming Banerjee's acceptance of the invitation from China, businessman and former FICCI president Harsh Neotia said: "The visit will help to strengthen business ties between Bengal and China." It may be mentioned that state government has decided to set up Biswa Bangla outlet in China soon.

On Teesta water sharing with Bangladesh she said: "We share good relations with Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But there are problems over sharing of Teesta water. There are other rivers including Torsa." She said at Kolkata Airport on Tuesday.