West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she had cancelled her visit to China after Beijing reportedly failed to confirm her planned “political meetings”.
Banerjee was scheduled to leave on an eight-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai on Friday night, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra told PTI. The chief minister said that she had been nominated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to lead an Indian delegation that was going to participate in an exchange programme organised by the International Department of the Communist Party of China.
Reports had claimed that the chief minister was also planning to talk to Chinese investors about investing in West Bengal. “Till yesterday [Thursday], everything was going on well, but unfortunately, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings at appropriate level as informed by our Ambassador in China,” Banerjee said. “Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the Exchange Programme is of no use.”
Banerjee has informed Swaraj about her decision, Mitra said.
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