Delegation from Canton mega-trade fair in Malta next week

A delegation led by the director-general of the Canton fair, the largest import and export trade fair, will be visiting Malta next week for talks on potential partnership and investment opportunities between the two countries.

The Canton Fair – or China Import and Export Fair – is a trade fair held in the spring and autumn seasons each year since the spring of 1957 in Guangzhou, China.

Malta’s special envoy to China, Sai Mizzi Liang, will be accompanying the fair’s director general in Malta.

The last Canton fair had an average of 188,119 overseas buyers from 214 countries and regions around the world.

Of all continents, Europe ranks number two in buyer attendance, preceded by Asia. Up to the 114th session the accumulated trade volume has amounted to about US$1.0623 trillion.  

A government spokesman said that the high level representation of China’s largest fair augured well for the talks.

In July of this year, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat held lengthy discussions with the Chinese government in Bejing on setting up a massive logistical base for Chinese products in Malta. The Chinese spokesmen at the meeting were keen to refer to the phrase of ‘rebuilding the silk road” – a veiled reference to the building of China’s trading history. 

The Canton Fair is China’s largest trade fair, and has the largest selection of products, the highest attendance and possibly the largest number of business deals made at any fair.

Considered as the beacon for China’s foreign trade it plays a key role in economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe.

The government spokesperson confirmed with MaltaToday that meetings will be held by the fair’s delegation with different government representatives and other entities to further explore areas of potential partnership.

The wife of energy minister Konrad Mizzi – Sai Mizzi Liang – the envoy for Malta Enterprise in Asia, visited Guangzhou and had meetings with the director general and various other members of the management of the China Import Export Fair and the China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition General Corporation.

Opportunities for collaboration with Malta were discussed, followed up by various information exchanges on Malta’s trade promotion opportunities.

The Canton Fair is co-hosted biannually in Guangzhou. Thousands of China’s trade corporations take part in the fair, including private enterprises, scientific research institutions and foreign trade companies.

It has been held uninterruptedly for over 115 sessions since 1957, with buyers coming from all over the world.