"Nitish Kumar will lead a six-member delegation including cabinet colleagues and top officials on a five-day China visit," an official in the Chief Minister's Office said.

Kumar will also be accompanied by officials of the Bihar Chamber of Commerce and the Bihar Industries Association.

The Chinese envoy had extended an invitation to Nitish Kumar to visit China, officials confirmed.

Nitish Kumar's China visit may help Bihar set up agro-based industries and investments in infrastructure development. Besides, Bihar is eyeing to increase Chinese tourists in the famous Buddhist circuit in the state, officials close to the chief minister said.

"Nitish Kumar is likely to market brand Bihar during his visit to China for investments, trade and business tie-ups and to attract Chinese tourists to Bihar's Buddhist circuit," he said.

Officials said that like the Us and British diplomats, China too is impressed by Bihar's changing image and development in the last few years and is keen to explore business and trade activities in joint ventures with the state.

The chief minister would try to find out what would make the stay of Chinese pilgrims comfortable and would offer land to set up tourist lodges and a Buddhist shrine at Rajgir in Nalanda district and Bodh Gaya in Gaya district.

This will be the third foreign visit of Kumar in the last five and a half years since he became the chief minister of the state. In his first tenure, he visited Mauritius in 2008 and last month in his second tenure, he visited Bhutan to explore investments and promote tourism in Bihar.

Comment

comments...

My hearty congratulations to Nitishji and his entire team. I was delighted to read Mr. C K Mishra's continued commitment for development of Bihar by taking all the businessmen in confidence and recognizing them as true ambassadors of Bihar for bringing investment to state.

This China trip is indeed a great step towards growth of Bihar's core competency of "Tourism" Bihar has the entire far eastern countries as it's potential clients. This invitation with open arm by Nitishji will go out to more than 350 million Buddhist.across those countries and across the globe. I am sure that Nitishji and his team will be extending the invitations to head of the states of the rest of the countries whose citizens are looking orward to visit the holy site of Bodh Gaya.

I wish all the best ro Nitishji and his entire team and the members of BIA, Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Tie the Ambassadors of Bihar.

Ramesh Yadav
Fremont, California