Top Chinese delegation in town

• First since new Premier Li Keqiang’s ascension
• Led by Yunnan Vice Governor Shaoxiang
• Bilateral trade tops $ 2.6 billion

As bilateral trade volumes between the historic trade partners topped $ 2.67 b in 2012, a high-level trade delegation from China arrived in town yesterday.

“We warmly welcome the Chinese trade team led by no less than the Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, Ding Shaoxiang. This visit is a strong boost to the growing Sri Lanka-China bilateral trade. I am also pleased that my visit to Yunnan in June 2012 has resulted in key trade developments,” said Minister of Industry of Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, upon learning of the team’s arrival on the same day.

The six-member Chinese trade delegation, the first high level team here since the appointment of China’s new Premier Li Keqiang, arrived in Colombo in less than two weeks since the new Premier’s ascension on 15 March. As part of their bilateral trade cooperation efforts, the team is also scheduled to meet with several top Lankan Government figures in the next few days.

Bilateral trade between both countries stood at $ 2.676 b in 2012, increasing by 19.5% from 2011. Exports to China in 2012 stood at $ 108.12 m. China has become the largest development   partner and an important investor in Sri Lanka.   

Commencing his Communist Party journey in 1978 as the Chenggong County Party Secretary of the Communist Youth League of Yunnan Province, Shaoxiang rose to the position of Secretary-General of Yunnan capital’s Kunming Municipal Committee by 1996. He was then appointed as the Secretary-General of the Yunnan Provincial Government in November 2006 and in August 2012 became the Vice Governor of the Provincial People’s Government of Yunnan.