By Prashant Sood,
Ahmedabad : The agreements signed between India and China concerning Gujarat and the Chinese province of Guangdong would be mutually beneficial and help improve employment opportunities, state chief secretary Varesh Sinha said Thursday.
Sinha told a select group of media persons here that the Gujarat government will create nodal agencies to interact with the Guangdong authorities for carrying forward the work concerning the memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
India and China Wednesday signed three MoUs in the presence of visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The MoU establishing “sister province” relations between Guangdong and Gujarat covers cooperation in economy and trade, environment protection, public policy, education, health, science and technology, tourism and culture.
The second MoU between Guangzhou in China and Ahmedabad aims at closer cooperation between the local authorities of the two cities.
The third MoU between the Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), the nodal agency of the Gujarat government for investment promotion, and the China Development Bank seeks to assist Chinese investors in obtaining required clearances and creating infrastructure facilities in the industrial parks.
“The MoUs are primarily aimed at areas which will create employment,” Sinha said.
He said the nodal agencies will be set up by the state government and areas would be chosen in a manner that the two sides can work closely.
“They will give their priorities. We will see our advantages,” he said.
Officials said Chinese companies which have already set up base in Gujarat, had put in a good word about the ease of doing business in the state and Gujarat would get more investment from China in the coming months.
They said Gujarat had similarities to Guangdong, and Ahmedabad shared similarities with Guangzhou.
While Gujarat and Guangdong are perceived to be economic powerhouses of their respective countries, Ahmedabad and Guanzhou are both cities with rivers.
They said the state was looking for more Chinese investment in power, plastics and electronics.
The officials said good infrastructure and single window clearances would help the state get more international investment.
Xi, in a significant gesture, began his three-day visit to India from Ahmedabad. It was the first time a visiting leader began his visit to India from Ahmedbad.
The gesture left a mark on the residents of the city who felt it will also lead to greater Chinese investment in the state.