April 23, 2012
BEIJING: China has made a rare trade move opening up import channels for Indian basmati rice although it might hurt exports of similar produce from its close ally, Pakistan. According to sources, this is a politically sensitive move that suggests that Beijing is no more willing to walk the extra mile to protect Pakistan's interests.
April 23, 2012
BEIJING: China has made a rare trade move opening up import channels for Indian basmati rice although it might hurt exports of similar produce from its close ally, Pakistan. According to sources, this is a politically sensitive move that suggests that Beijing is no more willing to walk the extra mile to protect Pakistan's interests.
China has been importing Pakistani aromatic rice for the past few years. Islamabad is known to have been persuading China not to allow Indian basmati because it will affect its already small export basket. What is more, Pakistan has begun to push China to buy more of its cotton yarn after New Delhi slapped a partial ban on cotton exports.
Though New Delhi and Beijing signed the basmati protocol 2006, it has taken China over five years to give the green signal because the Pakistan factor played a role in its thinking, sources said.
Courtesy: TOI
