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Bahrain delegation to boost China trade ties

MANAMA, October 23, 2014

A high-level business delegation from Bahrain has begun a 10-day visit to China that aims to strengthen economic and trade ties between the two countries.

It will build on the successful visit by His Majesty King Hamad to Beijing in September 2013 and the two nations celebrating 25 years of bilateral relations earlier this year, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The delegation, organised by the Economic Development Board (EDB), is led by Transportation Minister and EDB acting chief executive Kamal Ahmed.

It includes members of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and businessmen and women representing Bahrain's business sector.

The Bahrain delegation will first attend the prestigious China Overseas Investment Fair in Beijing, organised by the China Overseas Development Association, where a Bahrain Pavilion will showcase the kingdom's favourable business environment to Chinese and international investors.

In addition, the EDB will host an 'Invest in Bahrain' seminar, the first in a series planned for each stop in the 10-day roadshow.

The delegation will then travel to Guangzhou before visiting Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

In each location, the EDB will engage in high-level talks with Chinese officials, private sector leaders and Chinese businesses looking to access the Gulf market.

A number of memoranda of understanding will also be signed to further strengthen economic and trade ties.

"China and Bahrain already have a strong trade relationship that dates back 2,000 years to the first Silk Road," Ahmed said.

"In fact, Chinese goods and produce make up the largest of non-oil imports to Bahrain totalling more than $1 billion.

"Bahrain strongly supports China's vision of 'One Belt One Road' to build a community of shared interests between the Arab world and China.

"By working together we can take this vision forward and help businesses to take advantage of the fast-growing GCC market," he added.

"Strategically located at the heart of the Middle East, Bahrain is ideally placed as a gateway to the GCC market helping Chinese investors access the $1.6 trillion Gulf market," BCCI first vice-chairman Othman Alrayes said.

As a recent addition to the list, Chinese nationals are able to receive a visa for Bahrain on arrival.

A large number of Chinese businesses have already established operations in Bahrain as a means of accessing the wider Gulf market.

Leading Chinese companies with offices or facilities in Bahrain include Huawei, Bank of China, China Harbour Engineering Company, and CPIC.

In 2011, total bilateral trade between Bahrain and China, excluding hydrocarbons, reached $1.7 billion.

Machinery and mechanical equipment led Chinese imports to Bahrain in 2011 followed by minerals while hydrocarbons led Bahrain's produce exported to China in the same year.

The delegation includes EDB, Central Bank of Bahrain, Bahrain Airport Company, Mumtalakat, the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, Tamkeen, BCCI, Citibank, Al Amal Group, and AJM Kooheji Group, amongst others. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | China | business | Trade | Delegation | Ties |

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