Hugh Arrigo
Managing Director, Attard & Co. Industrial Ltd.
It is a matter of fact that China is no ordinary superpower. It is steadily and rapidly on the path to becoming the superpower of superpowers.
Unless Malta’s private and public sectors recognise, engage and embrace the true importance, the sheer size and the significance of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ policy, satisfactory business levels will never be fully secured.
Malta is extremely fortunate to be one of the 60 or so preferred countries to be linked to the Silk Road. Regrettably few appreciate the true long-term opportunities.
China and Malta have had a good past. The two nations enjoy a good present. Malta has done very well to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as one of the 57 founding members. Future business and trade between the two people must now register substantial growth in foreign direct investment, research and development, the financial services sector, the logistics sector, the shipping and aviation sectors and in other areas. This will be nothing short of a win-win situation.
Money has to trickle down to our local hotelier, restaurant owner, educator, retailer, service provider who ought all now be given the real and true chance to indirectly benefit from China’s vast investment programmes.
It is good for us to acknowledge the difficulties we face in reaching our common objectives given the distance and the cultural differences. We must, however persevere in attempting to reach our joint commercial ambitions and maintain our momentum to continue consolidating our relations.
Dean Micallef
Chief Financial Officer, Attard & Co. Industrial Ltd.
“Malta has successfully maintained a healthy socio-political relationship with China for over 40 years, however it is now that we are seeing structured advancements in the understanding of both cultures. As we take this relationship to new heights further emphasis is and will continue to be focused on strengthening the understanding of both our nations’ cultures as this will ultimately lead to the quantifiable success between our two countries.”
Anton Borg
President, Malta Chamber of Commerce
“As Malta Chamber we see China as a formidable partner that provides Maltese businesses with immense opportunities on both incoming and outgoing directions. Chinese investment in Malta is already providing new opportunities on our shores. On the other hand, China is a vast market which Maltese businesses are only too eager to penetrate with their goods and services. A strong relationship with China is a very positive development for the country’s economy.”
Kenneth Farrugia
Chairman, Finance Malta
“Over these last 40 years, Malta has enjoyed very strong ties with China at both the political and economic level. These ties have been further strengthened over these last few years. Within this context, I firmly believe that we need to embark on a visibility programme of initiatives aimed to position Malta as an EU financial services jurisdiction from where Chinese operators may passport financial products or services to the EU marketplace.”
Maurice Mizzi
President, Maltese Chinese Chamber of Commerce
“Malta was one of the first countries to establish a relationship with China in the 1970s and ever since that time the interaction between the two countries and their business communities have increased substantially. During 2017 China is poised to take the world’s number one economic position in the world and Malta should be ready to capture every economic opportunity in our relationship. The Maltese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce is keen to promote all the trade possible between our two countries.”
Tonio Fenech
Spokesperson, Foreign Affairs Shadow Ministry
“Malta and China enjoy a historic relationship and maintain strong economic ties as relations between the two States continue to deepen. Successive Nationalist administrations gave impetus to trade relations with China in parallel with Malta’s EU accession. Malta’s strong European identity meant that it forged strong ties and increased bilateral trade with China, while reiterating the need for respect for due process and human rights everywhere.
“It is not only an economic relationship that Malta and China enjoy. The bond has evolved on a number of levels, and in particular the people of Malta will always remain grateful for the concern and excellent care demonstrated by the people of China following the President of Malta’s accidental injury during a visit to Shanghai in 2010.”
Qiu Guangling
Economic and commercial counsellor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malta
“As the New Year is just around the corner, I sincerely hope that the economic cooperation and trade relations between China and Malta will scale new heights in the year of 2017. We will continue to contribute our share to it for a better future which our two countries deserve.”
Dr Xu Jinhua
Director, TCM Malta
“The Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine is a thriving and successful showcase of over 20 years of technical co-operation in promoting and providing traditional Chinese medicine to the advantage of the health of the Maltese people while strengthening the political relations between the Republic of Malta and the People’s Republic of China.”
Chen Juheng
Vice-President, Chinese Community Association of Malta
“With nearly 45 years of diplomatic relations, the Chinese people’s understanding of Malta gradually increased. The Maltese people need to visit and learn more of their friend – China, with the hope that private and public activities increase. I believe that both the economic and cultural levels will be at a new high.”
Ma Chunzhi
Vice president, China Foreign Trade Centre (Group), Vice secretary general, Canton Fair
“As China’s number one fair and a world well-known trade fair, the Canton Fair upholds the development concepts of ‘Innovation, Coordination, Green, Openness and Sharing’ and has developed into a tie and bridge connecting the international trade. We warmly welcome enterprises from Malta to attend the Canton Fair to boost the communication and development of the bilateral trade.”
Baojie Sheng
CEO, SEP(Malta) Holding Ltd.
“Characterised by a long cultural history, occupying a unique strategic position and employing flexible and preferential tax policies, Malta is increasingly enticing Chinese enterprises to move their operation to this Mediterranean hub. Upholding the principles of mutual benefit and ‘win-win co-operation’, Chinese and Maltese enterprises aspire to jointly open up and enter new markets in Europe, whilst contributing to Malta’s social and economic development and promoting bilateral trade co-operation.”
Yanjun Wang
Director, Chinese Culture Centre in Malta
“Culture is a bridge of communication between hearts and minds, thus the positive interaction of cultural dialogue contributes to the development of political and commercial ties between two countries. China Cultural Centre in Malta wishes to entertain such dialogue, with a focus on promoting incentives which sustain a platform for cultural trade and collaboration.”