A five-member team from Xiamen travelled to Central Asia from July 12 to 21 to promote the forthcoming China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT).
During their trip, the team visited Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Almaty and Astana in Kazakhstan, and Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
A Xiamen delegation pose with the heads of business association of Uzbekistan. Yang Shaojing, deputy head of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs, led the delegation to promote the 2015 China International Fair for Investment & Trade. [Photo by Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce]
Leading the delegation was Yang Shaojing, deputy head of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs.
The delegation learned of the silk-road countries' vision for trade and economic growth by talking to their economic departments, foreign trade administrations and business associations.
Other topics on discussion were the types of procedures that businesses from Central Asia could get involved in with the 2015 CIFIT and what services Xiamen would provide to exhibitors.
The team compared notes with Chinese diplomats working in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on how to promote trade and investment between China and the Central Asian countries.
Central Asian countries are an integral part of China's One Belt One Road initiative, which will be one of the main focuses of the 19th CIFIT.
By land mass, Kazakhstan is the biggest nation in Central Asia. Almaty, its former capital, is its biggest city and the financial center of the region. Its new capital, Astana, sits at the heart of the Eurasian continent and boasts some of the most advanced development in the region in its modern industries and financial facilities.
Kyrgyzstan, (officially the Kyrgyz Republic) possesses rich mineral resources. The country has one of the highest amounts of freshwater resources per capita, thanks to its many rivers and basins.
The Republic of Uzbekistan is the world's sixth biggest cotton producer and second biggest cotton exporter. It is also the seventh biggest gold producer in the world. The country has an abundance of natural gas, coal, oil and copper, silver and uranium.
China now enjoys comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 23 countries after reaching an agreement on mutual visa exemption with Thailand on Jan 28.
China and Thailand signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports and passports for public affairs on Jan 28.
