Trade and Industry scoping mission to expand cooperation ties with China
April 02, 2024
Mr Naadir Hassan, Minister for Finance, National Planning and Mrs Devika Vidot, Minister of Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry, recently concluded a working mission in Beijing and Chengdu City, China, between 23 - 29 March 2024.
In Beijing, meetings were held with Huawei, a Chinese information, communication and technology company, and the China International Development Agency (CIDCA).
In their meeting with Huawei, they discussed how Seychelles could potentially benefit from support in implementing its digitalisation strategy, modernising its ICT infrastructure, and improving internet connectivity in Seychelles.
Meeting with representatives of CIDCA, the delegation expressed its gratitude for the various infrastructure and capacity-building projects that China has been extending to Seychelles over the years. They also discussed ongoing projects, such as housing projects, amongst others.
In Chengdu City, located in Sichuan Province, the two Ministers held meetings with the provincial and city leaders as well as with business suppliers of goods and machinery. In the meetings, both sides agreed that improving flight connectivity, such as through charter flights and eventually regular direct flights, would boost trade and tourism cooperation between Seychelles and China. They also discussed the potential conclusion of a sister city agreement between Chengdu City and Victoria to facilitate cultural, sports, education and people-to-people exchanges between the two cities. To note that there have in the past been a number of students who have studied in Sichuan Province, and charter flights by Air Seychelles have been conducted to Chengdu in 2017 and 2018.
During the mission, the Ministerial delegation also supported the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) in their meetings with suppliers of non-perishable and perishable goods. These meetings are in line with the government’s national objective to contain the cost of living. In addition, they met with suppliers for alternative construction materials, which the government hopes to acquire and introduce to the market to meet the country's construction demands.
Visits to producers of micro and small machinery for food processing, food packaging, and agricultural equipment were also featured, with the aim of modernising Seychelles’ agricultural and manufacturing industries.
The Ministerial delegation comprised of Minister Naadir Hassan, Minister Devika Vidot, Mr Jitesh Shah, CEO of Seychelles Infrastructure Agency (SIA), Mr Charles Morin, Trade Consultant, Mr David Jean-Baptiste, Deputy CEO of Seychelles Trading Company (STC), Mr Jose Chang-King, Head of Imports and Procurement at STC and Mr Alex Henderson, Senior International Cooperation Officer at the Ministry of Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry.