NCCSL reviews bilateral trade progress between Sri Lanka and Tianjin

Friday, 11 October 2013 03:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A business delegation headed by Tianjin Sub Council of the People’s Republic of China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Vice Chairman Dong Li Bin visited the Chamber on Tuesday, 8 October 2013. Members of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka China Business Cooperation Council had a discussion with the visiting delegates at the Chamber auditorium. Dong Li Bin said CCPIT Tianjin promotes international trade and economic co-operation between Tianjin province and the rest of the world. He further said that China has opened its economy and is now promoting foreign investment into Tianjin province. Tianjin businessmen also invest in other countries.

“One of our main purposes of visiting Sri Lanka this time is to study the investment environment in Sri Lanka so that the Tianjin business community could invest in Sri Lanka. We want to promote co-operation between the enterprises in Sri Lanka and Tianjin province especially for import and export,” he said. The NCCSL and the Tianjin CCPIT has signed an MOU in 2010 where both parties have agreed to promote bilateral trade between them. Tianjin is the third largest city in China next to Shanghai and Beijing. Tianjin is situated in Northern China with a 13 million population. Tianjin Province has industries such as petro chemical, marine chemical, pharmaceutical, airbus assembling, manufacturer of helicopter and unmanned aircrafts, ship building and bicycle and bicycle parts manufacturing. Dong Li Bin would encourage potential investors from Tianjin to invest in Sri Lanka. He also invited the NCCSL to send a delegation to Tianjin. He said unlike in the past the Chinese Government is now looking for imports from other countries to reduce the trade imbalances. National Chamber President Sunil Wijesinha said Sri Lanka is holding a 5 day international exposition called ‘Reflection of Sri Lanka’ from 13-17 November 2013 in Colombo and invited Tianjin CCPIT to send a business delegation to visit the exhibition. He also invited them to exhibit machinery at this exhibition which will be visited by business men from over 54 countries. Reflection of Sri Lanka will be held concurrent to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in November 2013.