BANGALORE - The mayor of an economic hub in China Feb 28 described Chengdu as an excellent gateway for Indian companies with its huge talent base, low operating cost and government support.

Chengdu mayor Ge Honglin, heading a 50-member delegation, including experts, government decision makers and CEO’s of multinational IT firms, told reporters they would meet senior management executives of Indian IT and outsourcing companies to explore business opportunities in the sub-provisional city.

“We have already visited Wipro and will be visiting Infosys”, he said.

Honglin, who inaugurated Air China’s direct Chengdu-Bangalore flight on his arrival here Feb 27, said he foresees more business, cultural and educational exchange programs between the two cities (Bangalore-Chengdu) with the start of the service service.

Language would not pose a problem “as everything  is done in English,” he said.

On issuing of visas, he said that too would not be difficult and pointed out that Wipro was already into business in the city. “A Chengdu-based firm ‘Maipu’ has a presence in Bangalore,” the mayor added.

Honglin said Chengdu is a centre of science, commerce and finance and also a transportation and communication hub in southwest China.

In 2008, 130 of Fortune-500 enterprises set up businesses in Chengdu, making it most favored destination in Central and Western China for these firms, he said. (PTI)