Lankan business delegation in China

A delegation comprising 25 Lankan exporters, biz representatives and officials is now in China to showcase products and investment opportunities during a major trade event in Guangxi, China over the next few days.

“We believe that Sri Lanka can showcase its products to China in a big way at the 13th CAEXPO. It is an opening to ASEAN importers,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen before he left for China on Thursday.

Bathiudeen is leading the Sri Lankan delegation. It is co-sponsored by the Chinese government and CAEXPO Secretariat and 10 ASEAN countries. Having run for 12 consecutive years, CAEXPO attracts high-profile participants from political and diplomatic circles: thousands of merchants, 25,580 enterprises, over 100 business associations and delegations and 143 conferences involving 30 different fields.

Minister Bathiudeen also unveiled www.chinalankabiz.com - the CAEXPO Web Gateway for present and prospective Lankan businesses keen on Chinese and ASEAN markets. Among the Lankan sectors joining the CAEXPO 13 are Ceylon Tea, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, handlooms, batik, lacquer work, and tourism.

“Sri Lanka will join the 13th CAEXPO as a Special Guest Country. A series of special guest country activities including Sri Lanka pavilion, national promotion conference and trade fair will be held during the 13th CAEXPO,” said Minister Bathiudeen.

As an international event for economic and trade exchanges, CAEXPO has shown the world from the very beginning that it is not only a great event for China or ASEAN, but an international stage open to the world with ‘10+1’ as its foundation.

CAEXPO has has organized trade and economic exchanges activities for ‘10+6’ countries the 10 ASEAN countries plus the RCEP member countries Australia, China, Japan, Korea, India, New Zealand) and to countries along the Maritime Silk Road.

The Special Guest Country option is a major mechanism for China to link to economies it considers important.