China seeks Indian participation at Maritime Silk Road Expo

A Chinese delegation from Guangdong province is visiting India to attract local entrepreneurs for this year's Maritime Silk Road International Expo scheduled in October.

At an event here on Thursday, over 70 Indian participants from industry associations and enterprises dealing in light industrial goods, agricultural products, consumer durables and tourism have taken part, the organisers said in a release on Friday.

"The Organizing Committee of the Maritime Silk Road Expo also signed enterprise-attraction and purchaser organization and cooperation agreement with India China Economic and Cultural Council (ICEC) for organizing foreign exhibitors and purchasers from India region at the exposition," ICEC said in a release here.

Speaking on the occasion, Tan Guangming, vice investigator of the Bureau of Commerce of Guangdong Province said the expo, which will see participation of nations along the maritime silk route, will be an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to showcase their products and also get a platform to interact with international players.

Vinod Sharma, chairman of the National Committee on ICTE of the Confederation of Indian Industry, emphasised the need to encourage trade between India and China through business-to -business platforms, as well as on providing Indian small and medium industries (SMEs) an international business exposure.

China is attempting to rebuild the ancient Silk Road with the "Belt and Road Initiative", which is its most ambitious foreign trade and investment project, spanning 65 countries.

While the Silk Road Economic Belt extends from China to Europe through Central Asia, the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road links China to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa along sea routes.

The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo 2016 will held in Dongguan city from October 27 to 30.

--IANS

bc/vd