Chinese delegation visits India, Rijiju pushes for trade and cultural ties

The development comes against the backdrop of an annual Pentagon report pointing out this month that China has increased defence capabilities and deployed more troops along the Indian border.

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Chinese delegation visits India, Rijiju pushes for trade and cultural ties

In Short

  • Kiren Rijiju meets delegation from China
  • Talks on strengthening trade and cultural ties
  • Chinese delegation invites Rijiju to visit China

A delegation from China on Friday visited union minister Kiren Rijiju who was once denied a visa by the country, signalling a breakthrough in ties between the two Asian giants as the BJP leader hails from Arunachal Pradesh that is claimed by Beijing.

A 14-member team of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body, discussed with him issues of strengthening trade and cultural ties with India.

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China's claim of land in Arunachal Pradesh

The development comes against the backdrop of an annual Pentagon report pointing out this month that China has increased defence capabilities and deployed more troops along the Indian border. China maintains Arunachal Pradesh's 35,000 square miles was part of "outer Tibet". Its historic town Tawang, a key site for Tibetan Buddhism, was briefly occupied by Chinese forces during a 1962 war. The delegation was told that India wants Chinese entrepreneurs to establish manufacturing units in the country as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship Make in India campaign.

New Delhi has already extended the electronic tourist visa scheme to China and sources indicate that the Chinese coming to India on business visas will get some relaxations. "There have been demands and we are working on this," said a government official.

Rijiju invited to visit China

Despite the long-standing Arunachal dispute, the delegation invited Rijiju, minister of state for home affairs, to visit China after he was denied a visa nearly a decade back. He visited Beijing in 2008 as part of an Indian Olympic delegation with a regular visa.

The meeting is also significant as the home ministry is responsible for giving security clearances for setting up of any manufacturing units. Chinese telecom major Huawei was given permission to establish a plant in Tamil Nadu last year.

While intelligence agencies have resisted relaxations given to the Chinese, the Centre is keen to push for better relations by encouraging entrepreneurs from the country to come to India.

Welcoming the delegation, Rijiju said India is eager to enhance trade and cultural ties with China and invited Chinese entrepreneurs to take advantage of the huge potential that India offers in various sectors.

"Besides ancient links between two civilisations, India is looking forward to increase interaction between the youths of both the countries for more cultural contacts and exchanges in other fields," he said.

Strengthening trade and cultural ties

China issued stapled visas to Arunachal residents and a project sanctioned by Asian Development Bank for the northeastern state was also blocked by Beijing in 2009. The Chinese delegation, led by Wang Pu, vice-chairman, Shenzen Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, arrived in India to participate in the China (Shenzhen)-India Economic and Trade Cooperation seminar. The members also inquired about the incentives for investors in India and requested the minister for favourable policies for Chinese investors. They also raised the issue of facilitating visas for businessmen and for tourism even as more and more Chinese tourists and businessmen are coming to India every year.

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The minister said MoUs on establishing two Chinese industrial parks in Maharashtra and Gujarat were signed during President Xi Jinping's visit and Chinese companies can explore the possibilities of investment there.

He expressed hope that more Indians will be able to visit and do business in China, especially in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Senior officers of the home and external affairs ministries attended the meeting.