MYANMAR fishery and gem representatives reported strong sales
at a regional trade fair in Nanning, capital of China’s
Guangsi Province, last week.
By close of the second day of the October 31 to November 3 exhibition,
total sales for fishery products had reached US$27 million, an
official from the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce
and Industries (UMFCCI) told The Myanmar Times in Nanning.
He said gem and jewellery exhibitors from Myanmar were also
making brisk sales, although their figures would not be known
until later.
Myanmar agricultural producers had also sold $1.8 million of
cashew nuts to Chinese customers, the official said.
The UMFCCI earlier said Myanmar would have 50 booths displaying
a range of goods at the third China-ASEAN Expo 2006, which was
held on the sidelines of the China-ASEAN Commemorative Summit
that brought regional leaders together to discuss trade, security
and other issues.
The trade fair drew almost 3000 companies from China, Japan,
South Korea and ASEAN-member countries, organisers said, and included
such high profile visitors as Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe
Win and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
The Myanmar trade delegation included more than 30 government
and private firms.
Of their 50 booths, the UMFCCI operated 32, mostly representing
gem traders, while the Myanmar Fisheries Federation had 12, and
the Ministry of Cooperatives and Union of Myanmar Economic Holding
held two each.
Meanwhile, Chinese businesses expressed strong interest in investing
in Myanmar cement production, real estate development, mining
and biofuel production, organisers at a conference aimed at promoting
Myanmar investment held in Nanning on November 1 told The Myanmar
Times.
U Zaw Min Win, vice president of the UMFCCI, which organised
the event together with the Ministry of Commerce, told the conference
that Myanmar was keen to increase investment by Chinese companies,
particularly in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
He encouraged Chinese companies to expand their operations to
Myanmar, claiming it offered some of the lowest taxes in the ASEAN
region.
Currently, China is the 12th largest investor in Myanmar, with
$198 million invested, U Zaw Min Win said.
