In the evening of 21 April, Chinese Consulate-General held a reception in ITC hotel to celebrate the success of 2022 West Bengal Global Business Summit and welcome Chinese  enterprise representatives. Some 150 honorable guests and dignitaries, including Dr. Subrata Gupta, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Mr. Barun Kumar Ray, IAS, Principal Secretary of Labor Department, Government of West Bengal, Mr. Nadimul Haque, MP of Rojya Sabha, leaders of major chambers of industry and commerce, industrialists, diplomats, honorary consuls, 23 representatives from 8 Chinese companies and business leaders from local Chinese community and journalists attended the reception. Kenya delegation attending BGBS also joined the reception.

Chinese Consul-General H.E. Mr Zha Liyou expressed sincere congratulation for the success of the West Global Business Summit and warm welcome to the 8 Chinese enterprises  attending the Summit. He noted, in the past two years, the centenary pandemic wreak havoc in the world, global economy slid downward, Sino-Indian relations experienced ups and downs. Despite all of these, what is amazing is the contrarian growth of the trade and economic interaction between India and China. In the year of 2021, the bilateral volume of trade in goods has surpassed USD 100 billion (US$125.66 billion) and China remained the status as the biggest trade partner of India. This data sufficiently demonstrates that the strong demand for Sino-Indian economic cooperation is an irreversible fact and serves as the solid foundation for the development of mutually-beneficial coordination. Looking at the future, the two giant economies which are on fast track of development with 1.4 billion people respectively should embrace great potential in further promoting trade and economic cooperation. As an east Indian State adjacent to Southwest China, West Bengal has unique advantage in making a bigger cake of bilateral economic cooperation. As friendship provinces and cities, the trade and economic cooperation of Yunnan and its capital Kunming with West Bengal and its capital Kolkata should achieve comprehensive and breakthrough development under the endeavor of both sides from current status. Furthermore, Kolkata, the city with brilliant cultural, natural and human resources, possessing international airport and seaport, should no-doubtedly become East India’s hub and gateway of doing business with China, and should be the mainforce in promoting people to people exchange between our two great ancient civilized countries. Mr. Zha specially quoted the 3-point proposal made by China State Councilor and Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Wang Yi during his recent visit to India, hoped Indian people of various fields could materialize the strategic judgment made by the leaders of the two countries that “China and India put on threat but offer development opportunities to each other”, and strive for a better bilateral relations together.

Mr. Barun Kumar Ray, IAS, Principal Secretary of Labor Department and other Indian guests appreciated Zha’s proposal on developing bilateral relations and highly appraised Chinese side’s initiative in overcoming various difficulties to take part in the Summit and expressed willingness to work together with Chinese side to promote the bilateral economic cooperation to a new height. Mr. Yang Xuhong, Deputy General Manager of Mumbai Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Mr. Wang Tao, Managing Director of CRRC India Pvt. Ltd, delivered speeches on behalf of the Chinese companies attending the BGBS and expressed that they held high expectation for Indian market and the prospect of Sino-Indian economic cooperation, and hoped to work together with Indian counterparts to accelerate the materialization of their cooperative projects.

West Bengal Global Business Summit was held by the Government of West Bengal on 20-21 April in Kolkata. Led by Consul-General Zha, the Chinese delegation is composed of 8 Chinese enterprises based in India, including Mumbai Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, CRRC India Pvt. Ltd, China Construction Sausum(India) Pvt. Ltd, Dongfang Electric International Corporation, Ribest Ribbons and Bows (India) Pvt. Ltd, Muhao Battery Pvt. Ltd, Yingjia Communication Pvt. Ltd and LINDAO Mobiles Pvt. Ltd. During the Summit, Zha and his team members took part in all BGBS programs including a B2B session, and held a in-person interaction with Bharat Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Zha also visited the Bengal Global Trade Expo 2022 which is on the sideline of BGBS and talked with the organizing committee of the Trade Expo. He visited the stall of Muhao Battery and Bodyline Fitness Equipment Company of India and asked about their products and sailing. He also attended the Youth Innovation Forum of the Trade Expo and East India Jewel Summit upon invitation and gave speeches.