Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/373141
A delegation led by the director- general of the Canton fair, the larg- est import and export trade fair, will be visiting Malta next week for talks on potential partnership and investment opportunities be- tween the two countries. The Canton Fair – or China Im- port 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 accompa- nying the fair's director general in Malta. The last Canton fair had an av- erage 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 Min- ister Joseph Muscat held lengthy discussions with the Chinese gov- ernment 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 're- building the silk road " – a veiled reference to the building of Chi- na's trading history. The Canton Fair is China's larg- est trade fair, and has the largest selection of products, the highest attendance and possibly the larg- est 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 Eu- rope. The government spokesperson confirmed with MaltaToday that meetings will be held by the fair's delegation with different govern- ment representatives and other entities to further explore areas of potential partnership. The wife of energy minister Kon- rad Mizzi – Sai Mizzi Liang – the envoy for Malta Enterprise in Asia, visited Guangzhou and had meet- ings with the director general and various other members of the management of the China Import Export Fair and the China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Gen- eral Corporation. Opportunities for collaboration with Malta were discussed, fol- lowed up by various information exchanges on Malta's trade pro- motion opportunities. The Canton Fair is co-hosted biannually in Guangzhou. Thou- sands of China's trade corpora- tions take part in the fair, includ- ing 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. maltatoday, Sunday, 31 auguSt 2014 News Delegation from Canton mega-trade fair in Malta next week Thousands of China's trade corporations take part in the fair, including private enterprises, scientific research institutions and foreign trade companies