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Kolkata , Nov. 28

THE Yunnan Development Research Centre (YDRC), leading a high profile 9-member Chinese trade mission to West Bengal, today hinted at plans for resumption of charter flights for tourism purposes between Yunan, located in South-East China and the North Eastern part of India.

The team leader also called for special efforts by both governments to open the Kunming-Kolkata air route as early as possible. Yunnan, which contributes substantially to the country's GDP, shares borders with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, and enjoys geographical proximity to South and South East Asia.

The historic "South Silk Road", connecting India and China during ancient times actually passed through Yunnan.

Speaking at an interactive session organised by CII (Eastern Region) here today, Prof He Xuan, Director of YDRC and leader of the trade delegation, said: "transportation infrastructure development should be taken up first for boosting trade and investment between the two regions." He said the civil aviation departments of both countries should begin negotiations soon to open the Kunming-Kolkata air route. He also sought Indian expertise in the field of IT to help modernise Yunnan's traditional industries.

Stressing on the need to re-start the famous road route between Kunming (capital of Yunnan) and the north eastern part of India, which was navigable during World War II, he said China was already embarking on a project to re-construct the highway between Kunming and Myanmar border under a joint French and ADB funded programme. He said it is likely to be completed by 2007.

The three routes which existed once between Yunnan and North East India some 60 years ago were the well known `Hump Air Route", "China-India Road" and the route of the underground oil pipes connecting China closely with NE India, set up as part of a friendship programme during the concerted resistance to Japanese aggression. On the possible new areas of economic cooperation between the two regions, he said mutual tourism has got to be the starting point, and for this, a Kunming-Kolkata air route was a must, he pointed out.

On the trade front, he said Indian entrepreneurs will benefit from participating in the Yunnan Commodity Trade Fairs and access the huge market. Yunnan is known for its traditional industries, noted for its rich resources, and exports 4 lakh tonnes of fertiliser to India annually. He put the two-way trade between Yunan and India during 2002 at $60 million, up from the $20 million in 2000.

According to Mr Sanjay Budhia, Chairman, CII (Eastern Region), the "Kunming Initiative", authored in 1999, now contemplates cooperation in trade, tourism and transport among the four countries of China, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The initiative refers to rebuilding of the old Stilwell Road, which stretches from Assam to Myanmar and connects Yunnan, thus linking the North East with Southern China. Yunna, he felt, could be India's gateway into China's South and north-west, which are already the focus of massive development programmes.

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