'Mumbai has what it takes to be a Shanghai'

MUMBAI: It’s not Shanghai yet. But Chinese president Hu Jintao said he was very much impressed by Aamchi Mumbai. “The city represents vigour and vitality and has the ability to become an important financial hub in Asia,” Mr Hu said, much to the delight of the chief minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, who had hosted a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary. “Mumbai is a very important city in India. We will extend all possible help to strengthen it further,” he promised.

Mr Jintao also “praised” the efforts being undertaken by the Deshmukh government for Mumbai’s makeover. “We also would like to make the same efforts to transform Mumbai as what the Chinese government did in the case of developing Shanghai,” Mr Deshmukh told the Chinese leader.

The president went down the memory lane and recalled the role played by the late Dr Dwarkadas Kotnis who rendered humanitarian help in China and did his bit in strengthening the Indo-Chinese friendship.

Mr Deshmukh took the opportunity to inform the visiting dignitary about various efforts being made to revitalise the state’s economy. The chief minister said 71 special economic zones (SEZs) were being set up in Maharashtra. “We are following the example of China on this issue,” the CM added.

Exhorting Chinese industrialists to invest in Maharashtra in a big way in areas like IT and biotechnology, the CM was at his persuasive best when he termed Bollywood as “the world’s largest entertainment industry”. “Increase in trade between China and Maharashtra would benefit India and China,” Mr Jintao said adding that there were already some Chinese projects in Maharashtra, especially around Mumbai. “More Chinese businessmen would be encouraged to invest in Maharashtra in the near future.”

Maharashtra legislative council chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh, Opposition leader in council Pandurang Phundkar, finance minister Jayant Patil, industrialist Venugopal Dhoot, Mayor Vijaypat Singhania, Saroj Kumar Poddar and S Ramadorai were present at the luncheon meet.