Xinhua, Kolkata :
A new horizon for a four- nation cooperation project called “Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-China” (BIMC) economic corridor has emerged on “Hump”, once a key military supply line to China during World War II in the China Burma India Theater.
Over 70 years ago, Allied Supreme Commanders for South East Asia and China based in Chongqing operated transport and bomber units flying the “Hump” from Kolkata to Kunming through Myanmar, to back up China’s resistance war against Japan.
Today, the region, covering the convergence areas of four nations and linking China with South Asia and Southeast Asia, is looking forward to a new era of cooperation and economic integration through trade, investment and infrastructure connectivity.
The two most internationalized cities across this area are India’s Kolkata and China’s Kunming.
After a daily direct 2-hour flight from Kolkata to Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China, was opened, the passenger volume between the two Ks has reached 50,000 a year, showing a surge of regional exchanges, said a delegation from Kunming who visited India this week.
Led by Kunming City Mayor Li Wenrong and consisting of senior municipal officials and businessmen, the delegation made a tour of the old capital of India and exchanged views with local government officials, businessmen and academicians from the renowned Tagore University here.
Impressed by the old glamour of the metropolis, the Kunming delegation has found huge potentials for cooperating in reviving the city’s cultural heritage, which was at the same level as Shanghai 100 years ago and much above Hong Kong and Singapore at that time. Now, there is an urgent need to improve Kolkata’s rundown infrastructure, stagnant city life and shrinking commerce.
“Yunnan is the gateway province to South Asia and geographically close to West Bengal, having huge potentials to enhance cooperation with East India. We can carry out cooperation in business, tourism, and educational exchanges,” said Roopen Roy, chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) based here.
Programs already being undertaken include the Kunmin-Kolkata Tourism Cooperation Forum, think tank forums, a car rally from China to East India through Myanmar, and exchanges of students of medical schools, according to the ICC.
Li Wenrong said that both Kunming and Kolkata have rich resources in industry and trade, as well as in tourism and education. The two cities expect to undertake joint projects in pharmaceutical, mechanical, shipyard, logistics, steel, IT software and tourism.
“Apart from these, we can also carry out exchanges in culture and education. The Indian and Chinese enterprises can supplement each other very well here,” said Li.
Li hailed the 10-year-old Yunnan-West Bengal Cooperation Forum held annually in Kunming and Kolkata by turns. It is the only regional cooperation forum between China and India, although there is a need for more such kind of forums.
“India’s knowledge about China is far from being enough, while the Chinese knowledge about India also leaves much to be desired. Therefore, there is a need for more exchanges and cooperation between the entrepreneurs and traders of the two countries,” he added.
However, the Chinese businessmen who accompanied the mayor were still in a “navigational phase” as they look for relevant areas of cooperation with their Indian counterparts.
Among them is Xu Zhiquan, deputy chair of board of governors of Xinzhi Group, which is the first private Chinese book city corporation to have opened branches in other Asian countries like Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
“We need to let people of other countries know about China and its culture. This is the purpose of our opening branches abroad,” he said.
Xu said that to do this in India, one needs to break the barriers of language, culture and tradition, as well as very sophisticated and mature book and publishing market in India which is not so eager to receive newcomers.
Other business delegates include those from food processing industry and garment industry, two sectors which are very developed in India with a closed market.
A team of manufacturers of electric bikes also was part of the Kunming delegation seeking local partners interested in ecological transport and environment protection.
However, they might have found that India has strong masculine culture of tough motorists worship akin to “Angels of Hell,” which apparently repeals soft and feminine style electric bikes.
While the urge for cooperation in trade and commerce is strong, both sides need a lot of time to work out substantial and sustainable projects.
The Kunming South Asia Expo held annually in June is one of the forums for furthering exchanges and understanding, according to the Chinese delegation.
With a successful start last year, the expo is expected to attract participants from 53 countries and official delegations from 12 countries in early June in his city, said Li Wenrong.
