President James Michel in China-Seychelles presents investment potentials to Chinese entrepreneurs |06 November 2006

The Minister for Industries, Investment and Technology, Jacquelin Dugasse, took the guests on a tour of visuals to introduce them to the possibilities of extending their operations in several sectors in Seychelles such as fisheries, infrastructure installations, quarrying, tourism and oil exploration. These are sectors that require foreign expertise and capitals for development.

The Chinese businessmen present at the meeting were from various sectors, including aircraft manufacturing, seafood production, construction, retailing, textile and telecommunications.

It was President James Michel who launched the presentation. He told the Chinese businessmen that after he became President he started opening up the economy and creating a better climate for investment. The President said his country was after a new phase of partnership whereby companies from China would help build the new Seychelles and at the same benefit from their investments.
 
The first group of Chinese entrepreneurs that will visit Seychelles after the Beijing presentation is expected in two months’ time.

One Chinese businessman who said he started his fishing activity in a small boat with paddle and selling only a few fish a day, told the meeting he now owned a big seafood operation. He sought more information on the seafood potentials in Seychelles.

Chinese businesses had, before the investment opportunities presentation in Beijing on Friday, already been introduced to Seychellois entrepreneurs in the fishing sector who were in China to advertise their seafood products in the huge market there.

The presentation on Seychelles’ business potentials was organized with the assistance and participation of Ambassador Geng Wenbing, who is Beijing’s diplomatic representative in Victoria.

The overseas development manager of Qingdao Construction Group Corporation, Wang ZhenHua, whose company has been operating in Seychelles for 13 years now, expressed his gratitude for the facilities that are enabling his business to participate in the building industry.

He introduced himself as an evangelist who would spread news of the advantages of investment in Seychelles. He encouraged his Chinese colleagues to come to Seychelles to take up the new investment opportunities.