Press releases

Businesses from five Asian LDCs eye China trade links

21 November 2017
ITC News

(Geneva) – Businesses and trade and investment support institutions (TISIs) from five Asian Least Developed Countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal) will participate this week in the Lancang-Mekong Sub-Regional Commodity Exposition with the support and training provided by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Attracting some 100,000 visitors, the Lancang-Mekong Sub-Regional Commodity Exposition – to be held in Kunming, China, from 24-29 November – provides a unique opportunity for the 23 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and TISIs from the five countries that have been selected to meet buyers from China and other neighbouring countries.

Alongside the China’s Belt and Road initiative, the event is specifically tailored to support greater regional cooperation among countries in the Lancang-Mekong basin as well as other invited countries. The ITC-sponsored and supported participants will be showcasing a range of products, including handcrafts, jewellery, garment and accessories, and processed food such as snacks, honey and spices.

Ashish Shah, Director of Country Programmes at ITC, said: ‘The participation of these enterprises and TISIs from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal is an excellent example of regional cooperation in action. It is a great opportunity for the businesses from these five LDCs to connect with new partners, but also for Chinese companies to expand business and investment linkages with neighbouring countries.’

Ahead of the exposition in Kunming, the enterprises and TISIs will take part in a workshop organized by ITC and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on 22 November. The training – which includes trainers from the CCPIT Training Centre and the Alibaba Research Institute – will provide participants with practical know-how on how to export to China, as well as sessions on how to take advantage of market access and business opportunities when meeting Chinese buyers in Kunming.

Organized jointly by ITC and CCPIT Training Centre, the workshop is part of the Enhancing Export Capacities of Asian LDCs project, which is supported by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

Note for the Editor

About ITC

The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

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Jarle Hetland
Media and Web Officer
Office of the Executive Director
P: +41 22 730 0145
E: Hetland [at] intracen.org (Hetland[at]intracen[dot]org)