Thursday, Feb 15, 2007
'India-China bilateral trade on course to top $40 b' http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/02/15/stories/2007021504381000.htm
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Efforts to increase people-to-people visits stressed
New Delhi Feb. 14 The rapidly expanding trade and deepening economic ties between India and China is one of the positives of the improving relations between the two countries, the Minister for External Affairs, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, said on Wednesday.
"Bilateral trade reached $25 billion last year and is well on course to surpass the target of $40 billion by 2010," the Minister said at the launch of `India-China year of friendship through tourism-2007'.
Addressing the meeting, the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr Li Zhaoxing, called for redoubling of efforts to increase people-to-people visits between the two countries.
Good number
"Last year 450,000 Indians and Chinese exchanged visits. This is good but the number is small when compared to the population of the two countries," Mr Zhaoxing said.
The Minister for Tourism and Culture, Ms Ambika Soni, felt that in the coming years there should be at least 50 direct weekly flights between the two countries connecting different cities.
The decision to launch the `India-China year of friendship through tourism-2007', that aims at promoting tourism between the two countries was envisaged in the joint declaration issued during the November 2006 India visit of the Chinese President, Mr Hu Jintao.
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