China wants longer visas

He also called for the issue of working visas, apart from the business visas.

"The consular offices of both the countries are in talks to resolve the issue of visas as it is of extreme inconvenience for the people of China, in India, to renew their visas within six months",said Mao Siwei,Consul General of China in Kolkata.

Since last month about 100 visas have been issued but this month the number was less,he added.

The Consul said he expected to issue about 20,000 visas every year at an interactive session organised by the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce(CCC)

The Consul General mentioned that bi lateral trade between India and China is likely to increase as border trade through the Nathula Pass had resumed though with only 15 items being allowed to be imported from China and 29 items allowed to be exported to China.

The list should expanded and efforts strengthened to resolve disputes ,since around 80 per cent of trade used to come through this sector till the war between India and China in 1961.

According to data released by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce the number of Indian non financial projects involving direct investment in China was 354, with total contract amount of $716 million in 2008.

The Indian Embassy in Beijing listed 154 Indian comapnies as having establishments in China with about 83 Indian companies having their base in eastern China.

The number of Chinese companies in India was considerably less but this number was likely to increase in the coming years.

In 2007 in the booming Indian infrastucture sector,Chinese companies won contracts worth $4.56 billion through competitive bidding, up by 40 per cent. Many were in the power sector and Chinese units would generate 10,000 megawatt(MW).

China was interested in investing in the steel,automobiles and tyre sectors,he further added.

Bilateral trade increased from $7.6 billion in 2003 to $38.7 billion, said H V Patodia, president of CCC.