Bahraini officials are heading on an official visit to China from October 21 to 27, led by Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro.
As part of a visit organized by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) in cooperation with the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), the visit will be aimed at strengthening economic and trade ties between the two countries as well as promoting investment opportunities.
Over 20 senior representatives from Bahrain's public and private sectors will attend the visit with a focus on attracting leading investment projects. Furthermore, the delegation will be supported by representatives from the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by Mohamed Abduljabbar AlKooheji. Second, Vice Chairman, in addition to key officials from the MOIC and Bahrain EDB, including Khalid Humaidan, Chief Executive.
The trip will take place in three cities with meetings with strategic investors and government officials, as well as key networking events. The trip will begin in Guangzhou and will include visits to the Canton Fair, China's largest trade show, as well as the China-GCC Trade Forum hosted by the Ministry of Commerce. Bahrain EDB in collaboration with China Overseas Development Association (CODA) will host a business forum and business-to-business meetings in Shenzhen and Beijing.
"Bahrain provides a great opportunity for Chinese companies and enterprises to expand globally due to its strategic location in the Gulf, progressive government, and foreign ownership policies. Having demonstrated a strong interest in international investment, "With a strong pipeline of Chinese projects, we are looking forward to developing new commercial opportunities across focused sectors, strengthening economic and trade ties, and developing new strategic partnerships for both countries' mutual benefit," said Abdulla Bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce and acting Minister of Tourism.
Approximately USD 2.4 billion worth of non-oil bilateral trade was transacted between Bahrain and China in 2022, making China one of Bahrain's top five largest trading partners. Aside from contributing significantly to the completion of large-scale construction and infrastructure projects, a number of Chinese companies have established operations in Bahrain, which provide strategic access to the wider Gulf market. A key role played by Huawei in Bahrain's early adoption of nationwide 5G and in advancing the national digital agenda was its Middle East and Central Asia headquarters, established in 2009.