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Press Release
Remarks by His Excellency Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs
Minister at Inauguration of the Consulate General of India, Guangzhou
(Guangzhou; June
5, 2008)
Excellency Governor
Huang,
Excellency Vice Mayor Chen,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am very pleased to be with all of you this morning for the
inauguration of the Consulate General of India in Guangzhou.
India and China are ancient civilizations with historical links to each
other for centuries. These linkages also connect us to Guangdong
province. Damo - as you know him - or Bodhidharma, as he is known in
India, travelled to China in the 6th Century A.D. carrying the message
of the Buddha. I am told he also visited this part of southern China and
is well known in Guangdong Province to this day.
Today, we are among the fastest growing economies in the world. Our
economic development is providing the momentum for growth and prosperity
in the Asia-Pacific region. The trajectory of growth in our mutual trade
and investment continues to astonish our citizens. The trade target of
US$ 60 billion by 2010 set by our two Prime Ministers is very likely to
be surpassed before 2010. China is now our largest trading partner. If
India and China are to grow together, as your President His Excellency
Mr. Hu Jintao said during his visit to India, our economic and
commercial relationship must become the firm foundation for such
growth.
Guangdong has always been at the forefront of China's economic reform
and opening to the outside world. There is tremendous interest in India
to learn from your experiences, including your remarkable success in
developing your Special Economic Zones. Guangdong Province accounts for
one-third of China's total foreign trade. Indian firms have invested in
China including in the Pearl River Delta, and this trend is likely to
escalate in the coming years. I understand that Chinese companies from
this province are also interested in the Indian market. The commencement
of direct flights from your city to India is an encouraging sign that
both sides want to build more economic, trade, scientific, cultural and
people-to-people contacts.
For all these reasons we are convinced that Guangzhou is the best choice
for the opening of our second Consulate General in China. I am,
therefore, delighted to officially inaugurate the Consulate General of
India in Guangzhou. Our new Consulate General will strive to enhance
trade and investment ties, to encourage more tourism and business travel
to and from India and to introduce our culture and civilization to the
people of southern China. I assure you that we will make every effort to
see that our Consulate contributes in a positive and proactive way in
building friendship and partnership between Indians and Chinese.
I wish to thank Your Excellency for your gracious presence on this
occasion. I am confident that with Your Excellency's guidance, and with
the support of the Government of Guangdong, our Consul General and his
team will carry out their tasks in a successful manner. |
