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This year's China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services, in Beijing, will welcome a new participant, Trinidad and Tobago, to introduce its tropical Caribbean culture to the Chinese market, hopefully to open many doors for collaboration between two countries, according to its ambassador in China, Chandradath Singh.
Trinidad and Tobago started focusing on business relations with China after the establishment of the country's embassy in Beijing two years ago and two high-level visits. Its exports of asphalt, liquefied natural gas, methanol and cooper-zinc to China were worth $35.4 million in 2010, while imports from China amounted to $380.9 million, so, Singh explains, "Our goal now is to improve trade relations with China, especially by finding an equilibrium between the amounts of imports and exports between our countries."
He goes on to say, referring to the fair, that they are starting to strengthen trade ties with China by promoting lifestyle products such as music, musical instruments and rum and will offer various sports, cultural, tropical tourism and other activities to Chinese tourists.
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Chandradath Singh, Trinidad and Tobago's Ambassador to China, taking questions from journalists at the country's embassy in Beijing, on April 27. [Photo by Wang Zhen/chinadaily.com.cn] |
Trinidad and Tobago is recognized by the World Bank as a high income economy, but is still heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry, which accounts for around 40 percent of country's GDP and 80 percent of its exports, and, according to the ambassador, would require greater industrial diversification for economic development of the country.
The country is participating with a group of other Caribbean countries at the fair, which, according to the ambassador, allows them to share resources and know-how to have a greater impact on China and help attract a greater number of Chinese investors, which, he says, is their main goal at the fair.
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The Trinidad and Tobago Embassy in Beijing, China, began operations on February 26th, 2014. [Photo by Wang Zhen/chinadaily.com.cn] |
"We are small economies, and we need to get Chinese involved who know how to promote creative industries and probably get some Chinese film stars to join us for major promotions," the ambassador concludes, adding, "And to create market attractions, so then the Chinese will pay attention."
