Guwahati, Feb. 18: What?s the best way to welcome a Chinese delegation? The organisers of the 12th International Guwahati Trade Fair think nothing would please the Chinese more than to be greeted by a 40-feet Laughing Buddha that has been spiritually ?activated? by a Reiki master.

The first ever Chinese trade delegation to the Northeast is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow for the international fair, starting Sunday, and the hosts are pulling out all stops to make them feel at home.

The 17-member delegation will be led by Wu Xiaoli, the vice-president of the Yunan Provincial Chamber of Commerce.

?To the best of our knowledge, ours will be the largest Laughing Buddha in this part of the world. The statue will be spiritually activated by a Reiki master before the Chinese team?s arrival,? said Jatin Hazarika, the president of the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam.

Known as Pu-Tai-Ho-Shang (hemp-bag monk) in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha is considered the symbol of abundance in that country.

Hospitality apart, the largest business exposition of the Northeast ? shifted from its original venue, Judges Field, to the Sonaram school playground ? is set to pave the way for ?bigger and better? business between China and the Northeast.

China is the ?partner country? for this year?s fair.

Hazarika said the National Small Industries Corporation, a central government undertaking, would send a 15-member delegation of entrepreneurs from the Northeast to China in the first week of next month.

Different products from China will be on display and sale at four stalls at the fair.

Apart from China, the fair will have stalls for goods made in Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Turkey and Iran.

The Chinese delegation will hold discussions with officials of the Assam government on ways to increase the volume of bilateral trade. It will also take up a proposal by the mayor of Baoshan to establish ?sister city? ties with Guwahati.

In a letter to the organisers of the fair, the vice-mayor of Baoshan City, in Yunan province, expressed a desire to formalise ties with Guwahati. A member of the organising committee said ?sister city? status was similar to the most-favoured-nation status accorded by one country to another.

Rajesh Das, the vice-president of the organising committee, said a five-member team from the Nepal Trade Promotion Organisation would also be in the city to explore business opportunities.

The fair will be inaugurated by the Assam Governor, Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh.