China to be Jharkhand's partner country

China will be Jharkhand's partner country at the Food Processing Summit slated in November, visiting Chief Minister Raghubar Das said on Tuesday.

Das is on a four-day visit to China at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Das met Song Tao, Minister of International Department of CPC, and Huang Kunming, Politbureau Member and Head of Publicity Department of CPC.

Talking to Indian journalists here, Raghubar said he told the Chinese leaders that Jharkhand wanted China to be its partner country in the food processing event.

"They have agreed to it," Das said.

He said he wanted Chinese companies to invest in Jharkhand and told them that the state ranked fourth in the ease of doing business in the country.

"We are organising a food processing summit. The leaders directed their officers to ask all the food processing companies in Zhengzhou to participate in the event."

Das will visit Zhengzhou, the capital of China's agriculture province Henan.

"Tomato production is 3.5 million tonne out of which is two million tonnes is surplus and we don't have good food processing facilities. That's why we want Chinese companies to invest in the state," said Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Secretary to the Chief Minister.

Das also discussed issues related to bilateral relations as well as exchanged views on socio-economic development of provinces.

--IANS

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