Malta Enterprise is to lead a trade and investment promotion delegation to Beijing, Nikbo and Shanghai between May 8 and 16.

The economic development agency is to work to organise meetings for Maltese companies with their Chinese counterparts through its institutional networks in these cities.

The trade mission will also coincide with the Shangai Expo where Malta will have a national pavilion.

With a population of over 1.33 billion, China has seen an average annual GDP growth of over nine per cent to 2008. Although China did not escape the recent economic downturn, with an economy heavily dependent on exports to developed markets due to the sharp drop in global consumer demand, GDP still registered a growth of 8.7 per cent last year.

Trade between China and Malta remains well below its potential. Imports increased significantly over a three-year period from €21.6million in 2006 to €106.8 million in 2008. The main imported items were mechanical and electrical machinery, textiles and organic chemicals.

Maltese exports to China decreased significantly from €53.2million in 2006 to €24.6 in 2008. Electrical and mechanical machinery and knitted fabrics were the main exported products that stood out, which between them accounted for €21.7 million or 88 per cent of the total exports.

The growth in disposable income had a positive impact on consumer behaviour in the country, transforming the market into a western-style consumer society. China offers various promising areas for investment, trade and technology commercialisation for Maltese companies especially those engaged in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, software development, education and training, financial services, travel and tourism, real estate, clean energy, and maritime and aviation services.

Entrepreneurs and firms may obtain more information about the trade mission to China from Robert Falzon (tel. 2542 3239; robert.falzon@maltaenterprise.com). The full Malta Enterprise events calendar is available at www.maltaenterprise.com.