Beijing: A delegation of senior officials from the ministry of commerce today started a tour to key Chinese special economic zones to learn from their experiences. When China decided to open its economy to foreign investments in 1978, it began opening the country in phases focusing on one part of the country before moving to the next.

The Indian delegation will visit Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Suzhou and Shenzhen to understand the working of SEZs.

Led by Arun Kumar Bit, development commissioner, Falta SEZ in West Bengal, the delegation will also interact with officials of the Chinese ministry of commerce and hold discussions with Chinese officials on rehabilitation of land acquisition oustees.

Commerce and industries minister Kamal Nath has says SEZs would lead to faster growth of labour-intensive manufacturing and services in the country.

He has lobbied vigorously within the government on SEZs being vital for boosting the country's exports and also for employment generation, creation of world-class infrastructure and attracting foreign direct investment into the country.

China's 2006-2010 development plan will focus on the development of Binhai, a new area in Tianjin, which on completion will be spread over 2,270-sq km, in order to make it the country's third economic engine, along with Shenzhen in the Southern part and Shanghai's Pudong area on the East coast.