Chinese embassey delegation unimpressed with trade-mart, Thumbs down trade list.
NATHULA June 4 : A four-member Chinese delegation, led by Bu Jiango, the Chinese embassy counselor in New Delhi, did not like the Indian Army camps at the 14,400 feet Nathula in Sikkim sharing border with China.In a research trip to Nathula on Monday, Jiango said there should be shops displaying Indian and Chinese products instead of Army camps at the Serathang Mart and Nathula, which will help to improve relations between the two countries.
"Why is there so much of army posted between Serathang Mart and Nathula. China is a peace-loving nation. We want to improve the people-to-people contact and this can happen with greater trade,” Jiango said. At present, there are eight shops at the Serathang Mart (13,600 ft), selling Indian and Chinese goods.
She said Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) have close cultural ties, which should be nurtured.
The delegation crossed the Nathula border and entered TAR on Monday to visit Renqinnggang, a Chinese trade mart. They will stay overnight at Yatung, a Tibetan town 30km from Renqinnggang, and come back to Gangtok on Tuesday.
The team is likely to meet the Sikkim chief minister, Dr Pawan Chamling, before they submit their report to the Chinese government on the problems faced by Sino-Indian trade through Nathula.
The team is holding discussions with Indian as well as Chinese traders.
Anil Gupta, joint secretary of the India-China Traders' Association ( ICTA), said Although the Union government has raised the ceiling of a single consignment to China to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 25,000, the Chinese government is allowing export of up to 3000 yuan (Rs 18,000) in a single consignment.
ICTA president Chemi Renjing said despite government's focus on the Sino-Indian trade through Nathula, the volume is not picking up.
Custom officials posted at the Serathang Mart said not more than 8-9 traders come to the Indian side per day and take away only small quantity of goods from Serathang.
In the second round of trade, which started on May 1, 2007, total business so far has been worth Rs 3 lakh and that too only through rice and some tea out of the 28 enlisted items. There was not a single import from China in the first month of the second round of trade, which will continue till October 2007.
ICTA vice-president DD Mundra said of the 15 items listed as importable goods from China, eight items such as sheep skin, goat skin, yak hair, yak tail, live horses and sheep, China clay, are obsolete. Items like silk and wool, which are in heavy demand, can't be imported as the Sikkim government does not allow raw materials to be taken out of the state.
The first round of trade halted at Rs 19 lakh. However, the Centre is planning to develop trade infrastructure and will put in more than Rs 853 crore in the next two years.
Sikkim industry director SP Subba, who accompanied the Chinese team up to Nathula, said the Union government has sanctioned Rs 783 crore to the border road organisation for making the Gangtok-Nathula road double-lane, and Rs 70 crore to the state PWD for expanding facilities at the Serathang Mart.
In the next two years, the mart will have at least 200 permanent constructions against 28 at present, Subba said.
She said Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) have close cultural ties, which should be nurtured.
The delegation crossed the Nathula border and entered TAR on Monday to visit Renqinnggang, a Chinese trade mart. They will stay overnight at Yatung, a Tibetan town 30km from Renqinnggang, and come back to Gangtok on Tuesday.
The team is likely to meet the Sikkim chief minister, Dr Pawan Chamling, before they submit their report to the Chinese government on the problems faced by Sino-Indian trade through Nathula.
The team is holding discussions with Indian as well as Chinese traders.
Anil Gupta, joint secretary of the India-China Traders' Association ( ICTA), said Although the Union government has raised the ceiling of a single consignment to China to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 25,000, the Chinese government is allowing export of up to 3000 yuan (Rs 18,000) in a single consignment.
ICTA president Chemi Renjing said despite government's focus on the Sino-Indian trade through Nathula, the volume is not picking up.
Custom officials posted at the Serathang Mart said not more than 8-9 traders come to the Indian side per day and take away only small quantity of goods from Serathang.
In the second round of trade, which started on May 1, 2007, total business so far has been worth Rs 3 lakh and that too only through rice and some tea out of the 28 enlisted items. There was not a single import from China in the first month of the second round of trade, which will continue till October 2007.
ICTA vice-president DD Mundra said of the 15 items listed as importable goods from China, eight items such as sheep skin, goat skin, yak hair, yak tail, live horses and sheep, China clay, are obsolete. Items like silk and wool, which are in heavy demand, can't be imported as the Sikkim government does not allow raw materials to be taken out of the state.
The first round of trade halted at Rs 19 lakh. However, the Centre is planning to develop trade infrastructure and will put in more than Rs 853 crore in the next two years.
Sikkim industry director SP Subba, who accompanied the Chinese team up to Nathula, said the Union government has sanctioned Rs 783 crore to the border road organisation for making the Gangtok-Nathula road double-lane, and Rs 70 crore to the state PWD for expanding facilities at the Serathang Mart.
In the next two years, the mart will have at least 200 permanent constructions against 28 at present, Subba said.
Members of Indo-Tibet Traders’ Association from the Indian side headed by its president 
Chimmey Rinzing accompanied the delegation up to Renquinggang, the Chinese trade mart 21 km from the border.
Since the 14,400-ft border outpost reopened for trade on May 1 this year, business has been one-sided. While the export from India was around Rs 3 lakh, there were no imports from China.
Chimmey Rinzing accompanied the delegation up to Renquinggang, the Chinese trade mart 21 km from the border.Since the 14,400-ft border outpost reopened for trade on May 1 this year, business has been one-sided. While the export from India was around Rs 3 lakh, there were no imports from China.
At the Nathula Pass, the Chinese delegation was given a ceremonial welcome by the guards of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) before being escorted into the TAR by Chinese officials. The team will visit and inspect the infrastructure at the Donqingang Trade Mart in TAR. They are expected to return back to Gangtok tomorrow .
Yesterday, the ICTAS members, led by its president, Chimmey Rinzing Bhutia hosted a dinner for the Chinese delegation and had informal interaction with the team. Jianguo was apprised of the some of the major problems faced by the traders from both the countries. The revision and upgradation of the list of items for trade came up prominently during the discussions, sources have revealed.
This is the second official Chinese delegation to have crossed over to the Tibetan Autonomous Region through this border outpost. The first was led by Chinese ambassador Sun Yuxi on July 6 last year, when the border outpost first reopened after 42 years.
Jianguo, who had also visited Sherathang, the Indian trade mart 7 km from here, seemed satisfied with the infrastructure. “The Sikkim government has big plans. The prospect of both the countries seems bright. It is expected to increase with mutual understanding and trade.”
The Chinese team will call on chief minister Pawan Chamling and industries minister R.B. Subba after its return to Gangtok tomorrow on June 6.
This is the second official Chinese delegation to have crossed over to the Tibetan Autonomous Region through this border outpost. The first was led by Chinese ambassador Sun Yuxi on July 6 last year, when the border outpost first reopened after 42 years.
Jianguo, who had also visited Sherathang, the Indian trade mart 7 km from here, seemed satisfied with the infrastructure. “The Sikkim government has big plans. The prospect of both the countries seems bright. It is expected to increase with mutual understanding and trade.”
The Chinese team will call on chief minister Pawan Chamling and industries minister R.B. Subba after its return to Gangtok tomorrow on June 6.
