China announces duty-free import of 28 Indian drugs

New Delhi: In a move that is bound to strengthen Sino-Indian trade after the recent informal Summit at Wuhan between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi Luo Zhaohui on Thursday announced that China has exempted import tariffs for 28 drugs, including all cancer drugs, from May 1 this year. He said this was “good news for India’s pharmaceutical industry and medicine export to China”. He also said this would help “reduce trade imbalance between China and India in the future”.

The Chinese Ambassador tweeted, “China has exempted import tariffs for 28 drugs, including all cancer drugs, from May 1st. Good news for India’s pharmaceutical industry and medicine export to China. I believe this will help reduce trade imbalance between #China and #india in the future.”

Meanwhile on Thursday evening, the ministry of external affairs confirmed that the issue of India and China working together on a joint economic project in Afghanistan was indeed discussed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at their recent informal Summit at Wuhan in China.

Asked about the matter, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the two countries would have to identify a special project that they want to work on jointly in Afghanistan. He said no specific project was focused on during the Summit at Wuhan but said the issue of working together on a project in Afghanistan was discussed.

The MEA spokesperson said the issue of “strategic guidance” that would be given by the two leaders to their respective armies would “build trust” between the two militaries. He added that operational matters would be discussed between the two militaries and there would be no more “aggressive patrolling” by the two armies on the Line of Actual Control.