Thursday, 3 July 2014 02:52
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The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) the only private sector chamber which exclusively serves exporters will conduct an awareness creating and knowledge dissemination seminar on the proposed Sri Lanka China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This event will be held on 15 July at Crystal Ballroom, Taj Samudra from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by lunch.
The rapidly changing world economic scenario has brought into focus China as an economic power house, and her dominance of world trade. It is opportune for developing countries especially in the Asian region, like Sri Lanka to exploit the benefits of trading with China, particularly related to the export of products and services.
Trade between Sri Lanka and China has increased in recent years, reaching USD 3.6 billion in 2013 from USD 1.1 billion in 2006. China has also become a major development partner of Sri Lanka especially in the field of infrastructure projects.
In this background the proposed FTA between Sri Lanka and China offers an ideal platform for Sri Lankan business; especially export oriented enterprises to exploit the Chinese market for optimum benefit.
The objective of the seminar is to educate Exporters and Service Providers to exporters, on the important aspects and issues related to the FTA, its potential benefits to expand trade between the two countries for mutual benefit, and especially the opportunity to diversify, develop, and expand the export of Sri Lankan products and services to the huge Chinese market.
An eminent panel of speakers will analyse the important aspects of the FTA, to enable participants to understand and assess the various issues, in order to make an effective contribution for the negotiation and finalisation of the FTA to optimally benefit Sri Lanka and her business community.
The panel will include eminent resource persons who will address the participants and also serve in the panel discussion.
Institute of Policy Studies Executive Director Dr. Saman Kalegama will deliver the keynote address at this event. Chinese Embassy Economic and Commercial Counselor Wang Yingqi will deliver a special address on the ‘China – Sri Lanka FTA: Opportunities and Challenges’ and Department of Commerce Former Director General/National Institute of Exports CEO P.D. Fernando will make a presentation on ‘Sri Lanka’s experiences related to Free Trade Agreements’.
The panel would consist of Department of Commerce Director General R.D.S. Kumararatne, Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairman Janaki Kuruppu, NCE Vice President/Spice Council Chairman Sarada De Silva and Department of Trade and Investment Policy Director General R. Semasinghe.
Commonwealth Environment Investment Platform Hub Director/Private and Public Sector Board Director Rohantha Athukorala will be moderator of the Open Forum.
Representatives from the Export Development Board (EDB), National Council for Economic Development (NCED), Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Central Bank, Board of Investment (BOI), Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Standard Institution (SLSI), and the Department of Animal Production and Health have been invited to attend the event.
The findings from the seminar, arising out of the ideas and proposals emanating from participants, will be presented to the relevant state authorities, to facilitate the negotiations of the FTA.
For further information and registration please contact Shiham Marikar, Director Trade Promotion or Kasthuri Balasingam, Business Development Executive of Chamber on 011 4344931/4344221.
