Seychelles opens consulate general in Shanghai |16 October 2014

Relations between Seychelles and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) got a further boost with the official opening of Seychelles’ consulate general in Shanghai.

It was the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam who officially opened the consulate general, which will have jurisdiction over Shanghai itself and the provinces of Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

In his remarks Minister Adam extended his gratitude to the government of the PRC, and to the Shanghai Municipal Government, which facilitated the proposal to open the consulate general.

The minister also thanked the Seychelles resident ambassador in the PRC, Philippe Le Gall and the acting head of the consulate general in Shanghai, Dr Sidney To, who were both instrumental in the setting up of the consulate general.

Minister Adam remarked that in 2007 when Seychelles opened an embassy in Beijing and its honorary consulate general in Hong Kong and Macau, visitor arrivals to Seychelles from the PRC counted barely one thousand. Last month Seychelles welcomed its 10,000th visitor, which the minister regarded as a significant figure, adding to the tourism industry of Seychelles.

The minister highlighted the joint efforts of the Seychelles embassy in the PRC, together with the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and the tourism trade in Seychelles as instrumental in the drive towards this rapid improvement.

In the same vein, Minister Adam highlighted that many Seychellois now travel to Shanghai following the visa waiver agreement signed between the two countries, allowing Seychellois visa free access to China for stays up to one month, and the city is viewed as both an economic and cultural hub by Seychellois who readily travel there for both leisure and business.

In his remarks, Minister Adam stated that “Seychelles is not only a magnificent and totally safe tourist destination, among the most beautiful in the world, but also a peaceful, stable and competitive access gate to Africa and its huge market and economic resources”.

Minister Adam underscored the special relationship that Seychelles shares with the PRC and with Shanghai in particular, since taking part in the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and donating a pair of giant tortoises to Shanghai Zoo, symbolic of the longstanding friendship with the country.

Jin Xingming, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, delivered remarks on behalf of the PRC and wished the new consulate every success.

Minister Adam noted that there are currently ten Seychellois students hosted in various Universities in Shanghai and other provinces that fall under the city’s jurisdiction, a testimony to the rapport between the countries.

Besides Dr To, Mr Le Gall and Mr Jin, the other guests at the ceremony to officially open the consulate general included Hanscom Smith, consul general of the United States in Shanghai; Zhuang Youhua, chief executive of the Seychelles-China Friendship and Business Association; as well as Seychellois students currently studying in Shanghai.