A 13-member delegation met with senior Goa government officials, including the Chief Minister. They also had a closed-door meeting with the industry body in Goa and discussed opportunities available in the State. However, this time, the ‘old silk route’ is likely to see the Chinese showing keen interest in pushing for one of the most modern of technologies into operation. The Chinese companies were bullish and were keen to make Goa a centre or hub for 3D printing technology in the field of information technology for which they require about 80 acres of land.
The delegation was led by Paul Cho Kwai Shun, Chairman of Sino India Trade and Cultural Promotion Council who is also an entrepreneurial evangelist, a business ambassador and an investor in multiple businesses in China ranging from deep sea fishing to technology. A frequent traveller to Goa and India, Shun claims to be a sworn India lover who has organised multiple trips of business groups and investors from mainland China to India. The Council’s importance itself is proved by the fact that the Chinese government has accorded Shun the status of Overseas Chinese Leader empowered to reach out to Indian businesses and Central and State governments as an ambassador of Chinese investment and entrepreneurship in India.
The Council believes that their investment foray into Goa is in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature Make in India Campaign and will possibly be the biggest ever Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) push into Goa in recent history. One of the members of the delegation actually said that they are ready to invest between Rs 300 to Rs 2000 crore but for that they would need to sign an MoU with any private operator from Goa and consequently have Goa government’s approvals, notwithstanding that Goa goes to the polls early next year.
Even as the delegation promises to help create 2,00,000 indirect and direct jobs for Goans by setting up this 3D Technology Center, the Goa government is pussy footing and has asked the delegation to send their proposal in detail explaining what they intend to manufacture here, what will be required.
Both, India and China, are signatories to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which means trade between both the countries cannot be restricted. While China traditionally relied on communism, India took the path of non-alignment and mixed economy, right from the Nehruvian era. However, with change in time, capitalism seems to have ‘infected’ both the countries. Both do realise that without trade and business, the growth of the country will be stunted, even if one becomes a geographical political super power. Both countries are showing good growth in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and are blessed with a huge market which is being eyed and pursued by all countries on the planet.
All goes well if the political understanding with both India and China improves. The most recent diplomatic jolt was when China slipped away from calling Pakistan as motherland of terrorism as coined by Prime Minister Modi during the BRICS Summit in Goa.
India is driven by emotions, even if it is related to business. If, China supports India’s arch rival Pakistan on the political front, India will very well go by its emotions and can even forego business with China. The element of trust with China has been like a crack in the China bowl following the 1954 Panchsheel agreement, 1962 and 1965 wars, and it is seems difficult to mend. Business can only take place when there is a stable political relationship and this is the prime reason why India is reconsidering providing Pakistan the most favoured nation (MFN) status.
