Chinese firms bet big on Bengal

Kolkata: China is looking at Bengal as an investment destination as the country feels that business environment in the state has improved over time, said chairman of Worldwide Business Culture Exchange Centre, Hua Big Gao, who is from Beijing.
Gao is heading a 21-member Chinese delegation to Bengal. The delegation met state finance and industries minister Amit Mitra, industry secretary Krishna Gupta, WBIDC MD Surendra Gupta and other state officials on Monday.
FICCI and WBIDC organised a business-to-business session with local companies in Kolkata. The combined revenue of the visiting Chinese companies is $10 billion (over Rs 70,000 crore). The companies represent various sectors like metallurgy, power, mining, steel structure, electric and electronics.
After the interaction, Amit Mitra said, "In the next 2-3 months, an even bigger Chinese delegation, including representatives of Fortune 500 companies, will visit the state," he added.
Mitra said that the Chinese delegation would visit the Panagarh Industrial Park and the fertiliser plant of Matix on Tuesday. The minister has also requested the representatives of Chinese companies to attend the Bengal Global Business Summit on Jauary 20 and 21.
The companies whose representatives are visiting the state include the Rs 15,000 crore Shaanxi Energy Group, which has interest in hydro and solar power, Jiangsu Chemical , Crown Investment Group and Taiyuan North Heavy Industry. Officials of Tata Steel, Himadri Chemicals, Paharpur Cooling Towers, Visa Power, Matix, Vikram Solar and Neotia Healthcare also interacted with the Chinese representatives.