Hyderabad, Nov 29 (IANS): China's Sichuan province has invited Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to visit the region to strengthen friendly relations and promote business and cultural cooperation.

In a letter to the chief minister, Zhang Tao, deputy director general of the foreign affairs office in Sichuan, said both the Chinese province and Telangana were very similar in their history, culture and resources.

She said stories of dynasties and kings who ruled these lands, where tales were inscribed in history, have now become legends or even myths.

The letter said both Sichuan and Telangana have carvings and sculptures of Lord Buddha and his teachings were practised and preached very devoutly.

The Chinese official said Telangana was economically driven by agriculture and both Sichuan and the Indian state were among the richest in mineral resources and both were heavy industrial centres in their respective countries.

Zhang Tao said Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, was also the headquarters of Donfang Electric Corporation Ltd., the world's largest power equipment manufacturer.

Considering the fact that Telangana was in need of large capacity power projects at the earliest, cooperation between related parties in this regard may be discussed and agreements could be signed, the official said.