A high-level delegation from China, led by Wang Tiankai, president, China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) is on visit to India to explore the possibility of increasing trade between the two countries in textile sector. After recording a 108% increase in cotton and yarn imports from India in 2013 both India and China are hopeful that the volume of trade will increase in the coming years. The delegation is on a two-day visit to Coimbatore and had earlier visited New Delhi, Baroda and Mumbai and explored the trade opportunities in textile sector.

Between January and September 2013, China imported 860,000 tons of cotton and 450,000 tons of yarn from India. Wang’s delegation is focusing on, apart from cotton and yarns, made-up articles including home-textiles.

While speaking to media in Coimbatore on apprehensions regarding release of cotton from its reserves Wang said that even though it might influence the cotton market globally, Indian exports need not worry. He assured, "China's cotton policy will not affect India and our companies will continue to buy cotton from India". He further added, "Both China and India are witnessing rapid progress in the textile industry and both countries must work together for further development".

Acknowledging that Coimbatore is one of the most important textile clusters, Wang said that it has very good production environment. Even though he is a proponent of 100% free trade policy with India it is for the government to decide.