10 September 2016 12:00 am
Over 25 Lankan exporters, biz reps and officials are joining one of the strongest ever Lankan trade delegations to land in China today (September 10).
“We believe that Sri Lanka can showcase its products to China in a big way at 13th CAEXPO-more importantly it is an opening to ASEAN importers,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. Minister Bathiudeen is scheduled to lead the 25 member Lankan delegation to land in China today for the 13 CAEXPO (China ASEAN Expo) that starts Sunday 11 September in Guangxi, China. It is co-sponsored by China’s government and CAEXPO secretariat and 10 ASEAN countries. Having run for 12 consecutive years, CAEXPO attracted high-profiled participants from political and diplomatic circles: thousands of merchants, 25,580 enterprises, more than 100 business associations and delegations and 143 conferences involving 30 different fields.
Speaking at the AGM, Thailand’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Noppon Adchariyavanich said that his country is working very closely with the Sri Lankan government to bring more Thai investors to the island. He pointed that the recent acquisition of Holcim Lanka by the second-largest cement maker, Siam City Cement PCL is a good example of the growing business ties between the two countries.
“But I have to tell this, annually about 70,000 Sri Lankans visit Thailand but in return only 1/10 of that number comes to Sri Lanka from Thailand. The reason is that there are no promotional activities or related information in Thailand about the opportunities and places to visit in Sri Lanka. This needs improvement from the Sri Lankan side,” he added.
The Sri Lanka - Greater Mekong Subregion Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce encompasses Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, which is a natural economic area bound together by the Mekong River.