Foreign Minister Michael Frendo is leading the largest private sector trade delegation ever to China on an official visit during which he will be meeting China’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi, a former ambassador to the United States of America.

He will also co-chair with Vice-Minister Yu Guangshou the seventh session of the Malta-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission. Vice-Minister Yu had come to Malta in April last year for the 6th session of the Sino-Maltese Economic and Trade Commission.

During his visit Dr Frendo will also be meeting Tang Jiaxuan, State Councillor for China, and vice-president of the China Association of Friendship with Foreign Countries, Feng Zuoku, which has the Malta-China Friendship Society in Malta as its sister organisation.

The 39-strong delegation, one of the biggest ever leaving Malta on an official trade mission, represents 37 firms and organisations in sectors that vary from banking and financial services, industry, importation, English language schooling, shipping, storage and transhipment and electronics.

It also includes officials from the Malta Stock Exchange, Malta Enterprise and the Malta Tourism Authorities.

Dr Frendo and his delegation will visit Beijing and Shanghai and business people will have the opportunity of one-on-one meetings with Chinese entrepreneurs interested in their respective sectors.

The Maltese embassy in Beijing has been working with the Chinese authorities to set up these meetings.