Mamata Banerjee to woo investors in China, visit US to celebrate 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's 1893 speech

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she has plans to meet industrialists in Shanghai during her visit to China soon.

Stating that she has received a communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, Mamata said she would try to attract investments in the manufacturing sector.

"I will make this visit on national interest since China wanted me to visit the country. I have received a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs. I will also try to meet industrialists in Shanghai," she told "News 18 Bangla".

The chief minister is likely to visit China in June, state secretariat sources said.

Prime minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit China on 9 to 10 June for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

Incidentally, a large business contingent from China had participated in this year's Bengal Global Business Summit, which received a huge proposal for investments.

Secretariat sources said that during the proposed visit, the chief minister may be accompanied by state finance minister Amit Mitra and a host of industrialists from West Bengal. Besides, manufacturing sector, there could be business dialogues over healthcare, tourism and IT, they said.

The chief minister also said that she would be visiting Chicago to celebrate the 125th year of Swami Vivekananda's speech at the World Parliament of Religion, on Ramakrishna Mission's invitation.

"I have a plan to visit Chicago to attend 125th year of Swami Vivekananda's speech at World Parliament of Religion
on Rama Krishna Mission's invitation," Banerjee said.

"During the visit to the US, I along with my delegation will visit the Silicon Valley. We are planning to set up a similar type of facility here over 100-acre of land," Banerjee said.

Sources at the chief minister's office said that Banerjee may visit Chicago in September. "We have also improved in infrastructure and as a part of it, three major ports are coming up at Sagar, Kulpi and Tajpur. A major coal block in the state will also help grow industry here," she said.