Five eastern Indian states -- West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and Chattisgarh -- should focus on wooing smaller Chinese companies to invest rather than big ones, consul general of China in Kolkata Ma Jhanwu said.
He said the Chinese companies have been keen to come to these states but had not been successful so far.
"I urge the state governments of these five states to focus on small Chinese companies. But they want the larger ones which is not ideal", Jhanwu told PTI here last evening.
The consul general's office in Kolkata is in charge of the consular affairs of the five states.
Jhanwu said to attract Chinese investments, it was important to establish ties with the local governments there.
Citing two instances, he said, the states of Odisha and Jharkhand had tried to ink MoU with the Chinese provinces of Fujian and Shanxi respectively.
"But the central government here was not giving the clearances", he said.
Jhanwu had earlier extended invitations to the chief minister of all the five states to visit China.
Only Raman Singh of Chattisgarh had visited China, he said.
Regarding West Bengal, he said the state was having huge prospects.
"I urge the Chinese companies to look for long-term business relationship and not to make quick money and get to know the market".
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)