Government of Republic of Fiji : MINISTER KOYA LEADS FIJIAN DELEGATION TO GUANGDONG, CHINA

1/24/2016

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism. Hon. Faiyaz Siddiq Koya is leading a trade and investment officials' delegation to Guangdong, People's Republic of China. The Hon. Minister met with several top business leaders in Guangzhou City, who have shown interest to invest in Fiji various different sectors.

During the visit the Hon. Minister opened a Fijian Trade and Investment Seminar, which was attended by over 200 Chinese private sector representatives from Guangzhou City and other cities in Guangdong Province. This Seminar was part of the Fiji-Guangdong Economic, Trade and Cultural Investment Cooperation Conference and Project Agreement Signing Ceremony. This Seminar was treated as a very important event and received prominent coverage on the Guangzhou National Television.

'This is the first time Fiji is hosting a trade and investment seminar in Guangdong Province and this Seminar is seen as an opportunity to bring to the people of Guangdong information on what Fiji has to offer in terms of investment and trade', said the Hon. Minister.

'The Fijian Trade Commissioner/Counsel General, Ms Yolinda Chan has been able to establish relations with key players in the Guangdong business community and this mission was to also discuss a number of strong and genuine Chinese investments that are currently underway in Fiji and those investors who are interested in venturing into Fiji' added Minister Koya.

'During the Seminar three business-to-business Memorandum of Understandings were signed, which included a Cooperation Agreement between the Silkroad Ark Investment and Wyndham Hotel. This Agreement will see a new multi-million dollar hotel project at the Coral Coast. The hotel will be built by Silkroad Art, China and managed by Wyndham Hotels', said the Hon. Minister.

Other arrangements signed were the MOU on Pacific Island Countries-Guangdong Local Well-known Product Exchange and Exhibition Cooperation and the Overseas Photography Base and Strategical Cooperation Framework Agreement.

'The Guangdong Government has announced an allocation of the RMB2 billion that they will provide to investors who are part of the 'One Belt-One Road' Initiative of the Chinese Government and invest in the Pacific. The Government of China and Government of the Guangdong Province have recognized Fiji position as the hub of the Pacific and through this initiative will look at significant investment in Fiji', said Minister Koya.

'This initial Fijian Trade and Investment Seminar has been a very successful in terms of further enhancing ties with China especially, with the Guangdong Province. We are very positive that a number of very large investment projects will be initiated in the coming months. Furthermore, Fiji being considered as an important hub and an integral part of the maritime silkroad strategy of China, presents great opportunity to attract genuine, high value and quality investments from China and Guangdong', said the Permanent Secretary for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Mr. Shaheen Ali.

'This Seminar will be followed by a Seminar in Jiangmen City on Sunday, 24 January. With the significant interest from genuine Chinese investors, the Ministry and the Trade Commission/ Counsel General office in Shanghai will work towards a larger scale roadshow in China later in the year', said the Trade Commissioner/Counsel General, Ms Yolinda Chan.

The Fijian delegation also included the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Mr. Ariff Ali and officials from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.