Fujian General Chamber of Commerce in SL to bring growth and establishment of bilateral ties

Chief Guest Faiszer Musthapha, Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sport, Ministers and members of Parliament along with Pang Chunxue, Charge d` Affaire of Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka, Zhang Xudong, President of Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association, Zheng Jinshan, President of Fujian General Chamber of Commerce and Fujian Association in Sri Lanka With the chamber board members and team

By Divya Thotawatte

The Fujian General Chamber of Commerce inauguration was held recently, as a landmark opportunity for development and establishment of bilateral relations between China and Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the event, Fujian General Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka President Jinshan Zheng said: “Sri Lanka has all kinds of resources and huge potential for development, and also the certain demand in infrastructure and financial systems. With the rapid development of the tourism industry and service industry, there are more and more opportunities to attract foreign investors to Sri Lanka, including our Fujian entrepreneurs who have the interest and capacity to start their business here, therefore, to establish the chamber is to reach the certain requirement.”

“To build a platform, to unite the Fujian companies as well as to associate the resources are the initial purpose of establishing the Fujian General Chamber of Commerce,” he added. 

The Fujian General Chamber of Commerce, which comprises of an illustrious group of professionals, has grown exponentially, and has been instrumental in paving the way for growth opportunities in various parts of China and other countries. The unified body of likeminded experts seek to positively influence societies in their pursuit for innovative change on par with global trends. In addition, the chamber will be responsible for gathering Fujian’s entrepreneurs, integrating business resources, and promoting Fujian culture in Sri Lanka, while opening an avenue for the unique aspects of Sri Lanka and business ventures to gain a strong hold within the province of Fujian. 

Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake, speaking on the increasing demand for Ceylon tea in Chinese market, stated: “China is one of the most important markets for Ceylon tea, and we’re very happy that the Chinese people, especially the people in Fujian, buys our tea in such large quantity. There’s generally a 20-30% increase in our market share every year in the Chinese market. Therefore, we will be spending a lot of money in China to promote Ceylon tea.”

The inauguration of the Fujian General Chamber of Commerce will further serve as a platform for a wider network of business partnerships to be formed, within the ethical and legal boundaries that monitor these ties, as the chamber is a strong advocate for transparency and accountability, having years of expertise in forming ties with a number of governments worldwide. 

Sports, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha said: “In order to develop the traditional friendship and the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, I hope that after the establishment of the Fujian General Chamber in Sri Lanka, we can play a positive role in guiding your member enterprises, managing them, within the legal framework and offering mutual assistance to ensure beneficial results.” 

Pix by Ruwan Walpola