NEW DELHI: The competitive pressure on China's manufacturing sector from India is perhaps much bigger than China imagined - that's a Chinese government run media outlet's exact comment.State-run media in China usually reflects what the Chinese leadership is thinking, so it appears China's really feeling the pinch.In an article titled 'China should reduce production costs for manufacturers as competition with India grows', Global Times today wrote that China's low-end manufacturing sector is facing hard times as some multinationals move production from there to other Asian countries, India included."The increasing competition from India raises a tough question for China's manufacturing sector of how to keep its competitive edge at a time when the nation's labor cost advantage is shrinking rapidly. Now it is time for China to map out concrete measures to reduce production costs for manufacturers," Global Times' article said.One way it has suggested this could be done is by reforming the country's "overheated real estate market". Apparently, big plans to build new manufacturing plants in China's coastal cities have proven costly because of high real estate prices."In this regard, the Chinese economy has to reduce its reliance on real estate and strive to create a favorable investment environment for manufacturers. Additionally, as some foreign-backed companies show an increasing interest in India over China, the country should promote the development of its local manufacturers and encourage them to build plants in less-developed central and western regions where labor costs are relatively lower," the article advcated.Still, Global Times doesn't believe it's all doom and gloom for China's manufacturing."Despite India being more attractive to manufacturers than ever, it will be difficult for the country to build a complete industrial chain overnight. India may still need to expand its imports of Chinese-made components and parts to support the development of its nascent and growing manufacturing sector," the article said.