China interested in setting up economic investment zone in Bengal: Mamata

China on Thursday evinced interest to set up an economic investment zone, an auto hub apart from collaborating in many key areas of infrastructure development, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said after meeting Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao.

"China will work more closely with Bengal," Banerjee said after a one-on-one with Li at the glass house of Eco Park in the city's northeastern fringes.

"China is interested in investing in infrastructure development, tourism and auto hub. The vice president also evinced interest in setting up an economic investment zone," she told media persons.

Later, Banerjee wrote on her Facebook page that the meeting was "very cordial" and she was "extremely honoured" with Li's visit to the state.

"Today I had a meeting with His Excellency and a 12-member delegation including four ministers of China. The delegation expressed keen interest to further relations with Bengal and set up Economic Investment Zone in the state as their first preferred destination."

Banerjee also expressed keenness to collaborate with China in infrastructure, tourism, educational and cultural exchanges and setting up of a manufacturing hub.

"I requested the vice president to send a strong business delegation to the Bengal Global Business Summit in January, 2016 to which he responded very positively."

Earlier in the day, Li visited Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house at Jorasanko, which is now part of the Rabindra Bharati university campus.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi hosted a lunch in honour of the visiting leader.