China official makes case for free trade pact

China on Saturday said that a free trade agreement with India would facilitate more commerce between the two countries.

“I hear... that there are certain barriers to trade and investments in both the countries. A free trade agreement will help facilitate more commercial exchanges between the two countries,” said Chinese Consul General in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu.
 

The 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held last year, promised more opening up of the Chinese economy to the outside world, and also increased imports from other countries, he said.
 

“We are keen to import more from India, mostly from the eastern Indian states,” the diplomat said.
 

He said that educational exchanges between India and China was another area where the two countries could work upon.

“Many Chinese universities want to have tie-ups with Indian universities. For the first time, there will an expo of Chinese universities to be held in Kolkata in early May,” Ma said.
 

On the “informal summit” between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said that Indo-China relations would get a boost on the back of this meeting.