Year 2007 has been marked as the ‘India-China Year of Friendship through Tourism’ which was lunched on 14.2.2007 in New Delhi to promote tourism between the two countries. On this date the two also officially released a joint logo for the tourism year, made up of Chinese landmark the Great Wall and India’s Taj Mahal as well as the two national flags.

Since then both have had on their agenda number of activities such as :

1. A sixteen Member Chinese Media / Tour Operators group visited India on fam tour in March, 2007 under the ‘Hospitality Scheme’ of Ministry of Tourism. 
2. China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) sponsored delegation comprising of Tour Operators from Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai visited India for tourism promotion.
3. CNTA participated in South Asia Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) Exhibition which was held in April, 2007 in New Delhi
4. Ministry of Tourism organized Road Shows in Beijing and Shanghai in April 2007 to showcase India’s tourist attractions in Chinese market

And both governments are immensely encouraging their citizens to visit each other’s country as part of the move to enhance economic, strategic and cultural ties.

The increase in the number of tourists from China to India and vice versa justifies these moves. (more…)

China and India are set to begin joint military exercises in October, just another example of the two nations growing bilateral relations. The decision to begin military exchanges and cooperation has focused on two areas: counterterrorism and joint military exercises. 

In June we reported on India Army Chief of Staff General Joginder Jaswant Sigh’s visit to China and the subsequent announcement that China and India would hold the first ever joint army exercises between the two nations. Both countries hope that the joint exercises will strengthen Sino-Indian defense ties and build up confidence within each another.

Jagannath Panda comments in a report for The Jamestown Foundation’s China Brief, that China has increasingly relied on its military diplomacy to advance its strategic ambitions overseas. Indeed, China’s military is a very active ambassador for the country abroad, supplying arms and training across the developing world. In India, the Chinese have looked to overcome a historical mistrust by increasing the breadth of the exchanges, as Panda’s report states:

Perhaps, the significance of these exchanges is their unprecedented nature; not even in the prime days of the “bhai-bhai” Sino-Indian relations did this type of relationship exist. It seems that the proposed “joint military operations” are intended to bridge the communications gap between the two militaries. Both armies are in favor of inviting observers to their exercises, which suggests a “degree of comfort” with each other more than anything else. (more…)

With Shanghai Having a Market Cap Four Times The Size of Bombay - Why Is It Indian Companies Are Taking The Lead In Global M&A?

An examination of the roles and responsibilities of the stock exchanges of Shanghai and Mumbai leads to some interesting potential implications for the development of companies listed on the respective bourses – and some pointers as to why it is currently Indian – and not Chinese – companies that are currently expanding globally.

Firstly, lets look at some comparisons and history.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) – is known as the oldest exchange in Asia. It traces its history to the 1850s, when stockbrokers would gather under banyan trees in front of Mumbai’s Town Hall. The location of these meetings changed many times, as the number of brokers constantly increased. The group eventually moved to Dalal Street in 1874 and in 1875 became an official organization known as ‘The Native Share & Stock Brokers Association’. In 1956, the BSE became the first stock exchange to be recognized by the Indian Government under the Securities Contracts Regulation Act. (more…)

Indian Army Chief of Staff General Joginder Jaswant Singh, upon returning from China where he met with his Chinese counterparts at the end of May, announced that China and India would hold the first ever joint army exercises between the two nations. At the time, this was seen as a clear step forward for two nations that went to war over border issues in 1962 and to this day disagree on the exact boundaries of the two countries. That step forward may have been a half step however, as the Indian foreign minister was quoted as saying that “India has told China that it will not part with portions of the state of Arunachal Pradesh to settle a decades-old border dispute.”

Just a few weeks ago, it was all looking so promising when The Jamestown Foundation reported on the announced joint exercises in their biweekly China Brief:

Given China’s concerns regarding the separatist activities in Xinjiang and Tibet, the Chinese military has expressed interest in learning from their Indian counterparts who have had significant experience in counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir region and in the northeast. While China and India have viewed each other with suspicion since the 1962 border war, the joint exercise reflects the ongoing efforts by both countries to improve the bilateral relationship. (more…)

Chris Devonshire-Ellis, Senior Partner of Dezan Shira & Associates, China’s largest independent consulting practice, holds his annual meetings with senior Chinese Ministers and Government Officials during the last week of March (26th - 30th). He will be able to ask questions posed directly by our 2point6billion readership to them and will be able to communicate a reply to you.

This year, over a three day period, he is meeting with officials from:

The Ministry of Commerce
The General Administration of Customs
The Office of the Government of Hong Kong
The China Banking Regulatory Commission
The China Security Regulatory Commission
The State Administration of Tax
The Office of the Central Financial Work Leading Group
The Beijing Olympic Committee
The National Reform & Development Commission
The Ministry of Finance
The Financial Work Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee

If you have questions you would like to put to any of these bodies, please email to: MinisterialMeetings@china-briefing.com

A condensed report about these meetings will follow in the May issue of China Briefing www.china-briefing.com.