(17 – 23 June, 2016)

1. Consulate General of India, Shanghai and Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government jointly organised an India China (Wenzhou) Business and Investment Forum and the India Culture Week celebrations in Wenzhou from 17 – 23 June 2016. CGI Shanghai’s template of cooperation with Wenzhou is a unique initiative bringing together economic, commercial and cultural aspects and intends to transport a truly Indian experience into Wenzhou in the week beginning 17 June 2016.

2. Province of Zhejiang has been a key business partner for India in the Eastern China region, and Wenzhou (located in Zhejiang) being a private enterprise hub, has assumed an important dimension in the investments going into India, as part of the Make in India initiative. 
There is also considerable interest amongst the people of Wenzhou in knowing about Indian culture, films and art forms and given this context, Wenzhou was selected as the first city in Zhejiang for launching the India Culture week and the 2nd International Day of Yoga celebrations in Eastern China.

3. Consul General led a delegation of fifteen Indian companies to attend the Business and Investment Forum, which was held on 17 June at Wenzhou Shangrila Hotel. Mayor of Wenzhou, Mr. Zhang Geng received the Indian delegation and called for greater collaboration in IT and innovation related areas and desire on part of Wenzhou to learn from India’s success story. Consul General called upon Mayor to lead a delegation of Wenzhou companies to invest in India, in upcoming projects in the industrial parks and infrastructure related areas.

4. During the Business Symposium, CEO’s of Indian companies introduced the latest investment opportunities in India in sectors like infrastructure, Solar Panels, Roads, Smart Cities, Infrastructure Development, Urban Transportation and Power Sector, which are now available to Chinese companies under the Make in India programme. Additional presentations covered possible collaboration in banking, IT, e-commerce and medical tourism into India. A series of B2B meetings were also organised for participating Indian companies with their Wenzhou counterparts. Three MoU’s were also signed between Indian companies and Wenzhou enterprises during the Business Symposium. These MoU’s covered areas from setting up of end to end logistics for Indian products into Wenzhou, for setting up of a legal services assistance center and for facilitating entry of 100 top Wenzhou brands into India.

5. In addition, week-long India Culture Week celebrations were inaugurated on 17 June evening, with an Indian Food Festival, showcasing the best Indian culinary experience, will will be up on offer at the Shangri-La Hotel. The Indian Food Festival was jointly inaugurated by Consul General and Wenzhou city leadership in the evening of 17th June.

6. Given the tremendous interest generated by Indian films amongst Chinese audiences, a week-long Indian Film Festival was also launched at the historic Wenzhou Theatre featuring five of India’s most successful recent movies - (“PK” “Three Idiots” “ Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” “ Taare Zameen Par” “Queen” – all in Chinese). The Indian Film Festival was jointly inaugurated by Wenzhou Cultural Bureau senior officials along with Consul General, and nearly 200 plus local Wenzhou people witnessed the inaugural screening of PK. There were two additional screenings at two other venues include local universities in Wenzhou, aimed at young college students.

7. Wenzhou, also became the first city to host the launch of the 2nd International Day of Yoga (IDY) in the Eastern China Region on 18th June. Nearly 1000 yoga lovers from Wenzhou weathered strong rains to participate in the Yoga celebrations at the prestigious Century Square Plaza. Giving the inaugural address at the IDY launch, Vice Mayor of Wenzhou, Mr. Miao Weilun welcomed the introduction of Yoga culture into Wenzhou and stated that just like Buddhism had bound two great Indian and Chinese civilization together, Yoga also had the potential to promote values of harmony and peace between India and China. Consulate General of India Shanghai had arranged through local resources a Chinese speaking Indian Yoga teacher, who conducted the Yoga session for the nearly 1000 Yoga practitioners, based on the Common Yoga Protocol sent by the Department of AYUSH. The event was extremely well received by the large number of Yoga follower community in Wenzhou.

8. Later in the afternoon of 18th June, art lovers from Wenzhou were also introduced to an exhibition of Indian paintings (drawn by Chinese veteran artist Wang Zhijie) titled “India through Chinese Eyes”, which would be on display till 23rd June at the Wenzhou Library. The artworks on display include some of the most iconic sites and sceneries from India, which were visited by a group of Chinese artists led by painter Wang Zhjiie in 2009.

9. All in all, a truly Indian experience was transported into Wenzhou, in the week beginning 17 June. It is expected that the Business and Investment Forum coupled with the series of cultural events will foster a better understanding of Indian arts and culture in the minds of Wenzhou people and further promote bilateral investments between India and the Eastern China Region.

10. It may be noted that earlier in January 2016, Wenzhou became the first city in mainland China to set up an exclusive “India China Economic and Cultural Center” to promote investments from Wenzhou into India.

Wenzhou (Zhejiang)
18 June 2016