China Consul General Highlights Strengthening India-China Relations, Trade Growth
China and India are witnessing renewed momentum in bilateral relations as trade, investment, and cultural exchanges deepen, said Xu Wei, Consul General of China in Kolkata, during an address titled “China’s Development and China-India Cooperation.” Xu highlighted that both countries, as major emerging economies, have maintained a robust trade partnership with volumes surpassing USD 100 billion for several consecutive years. From January to September this year, bilateral trade reached USD 115.2 billion, up 10.9 percent year-on-year. “The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in India have issued over 280,000 visas to Indian citizens this year,” Xu said. “Our Consulate in Kolkata alone issued 12,717 visas, already exceeding last year’s total. Most of these are business visas, showing strong commercial interest.” He also noted that India has reopened tourist visas for Chinese citizens, while direct flights between the two countries are set to resume after five years. “This Sunday, IndiGo will launch a Kolkata–Guangzhou route. In November, Shanghai–New Delhi and Guangzhou–New Delhi flights will also restart, making travel more convenient and cost-effective,” Xu added. The consul general shared his impressions after visiting Shanghai and Suzhou, describing Shanghai as “a window into China’s modernization” and a leader in international trade, finance, and technology. Shanghai’s GDP crossed 5.39 trillion yuan (USD 757 billion) in 2024 — larger than that of several developed nations. Suzhou, he said, has become a global manufacturing powerhouse with growing trade ties with India, reaching USD 10.16 billion last year. Xu also reviewed China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), emphasizing the nation’s steady economic growth and green development goals. “China’s GDP expanded from 110 trillion to over 134 trillion yuan during this period, growing by an average of 5.5 percent annually despite global challenges,” he said. Renewable energy now accounts for nearly 60 percent of China’s power capacity, and more than half of the world’s new energy vehicles are produced in China. China remains the world’s second-largest economy, with a GDP worth about USD 18.9 trillion — around 17 percent of the global total — contributing roughly 30 percent of global growth. Xu stressed that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China. “President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed that our two countries are partners, not rivals, and opportunities, not threats,” he said. Expressing optimism, Xu added, “With the guidance of our leaders and the efforts of our people, I believe China-India relations will continue to improve, bringing tangible benefits to both nations and contributing to peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond.”
