China to open consulate in Chennai: Envoy

As part of strengthening ties with India, China would soon open a new consulate in Chennai, Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yucheng said today.
This exercise was part of further strengthening relations between state-level leaders in India and provincial leaders in China. A programme to establish such a direct dialogue should be established, he said.
"I have invited Chief Minister (Tamil Nadu) to visit China. China proposes to set up a consulate general in Chennai soon," Le Yucheng who called on Chief Minister O Panneerselvam at the Secretariat, was quoted as saying in an official release.
He said that 2015 is 'Visit India Year' in China and a large number of tourists are expected to visit India.

"110 million Chinese tourists go abroad annually, but only 100,000 visit India and there was a need to change it," he said.
Panneerselvam said China and India share more than 2,000 years of cultural and trade exchanges and "bilateral trade between the two countries is large and growing. But the trade balance is still very much tilted in favour of China."

While 100 companies are operating in India, only six were from Tamil Nadu and there was "large room" for growth, he said.
There was enormous potential for co-operation between Tamil Nadu and China in sectors like electronic hardware, semiconductor, textiles, heavy engineering and infrastructure, he said.

On the proposed Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Company, Panneerselvam hoped the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank would partner with the state government for it.
He also invited the Ambassador to participate in the Global Investors Meet organised by State government and scheduled to be held in May, the release said.