Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, speaks during an interview in Sliema, Malta, on May 13, 2025. Malta and China enjoy a long-standing trade relationship that is expected to further deepen in the coming years, as both sides continue to explore new areas of economic cooperation, Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
VALLETTA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Malta and China enjoy a long-standing trade relationship that is expected to further deepen in the coming years, as both sides continue to explore new areas of economic cooperation, Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Although Malta and China differ significantly in size and population, Buttigieg emphasized that the two countries are actively working together to identify new opportunities for collaboration.
As an island nation heavily reliant on international trade, Malta imports approximately 380 million euros (428.96 million U.S. dollars)worth of goods from China each year, ranging from automotive components and air conditioning units to electronic equipment, textiles and apparel. In contrast, Malta exports around 30 million euros worth of goods to China annually.
Despite the trade imbalance, Buttigieg views the deficit not as a challenge, but as a chance for growth. "We'd like to see more and more Maltese companies venturing into the Chinese market," he said. "We're working closely with Chinese authorities and institutions to expand trade opportunities."
He highlighted agriculture and aquaculture as promising sectors for future cooperation, citing the launch of Maltese bluefin tuna exports to China last year as a major milestone. "We'd like to see more, not only aquaculture, but also agricultural produce entering the Chinese market," he said.
Buttigieg expressed confidence in deepening collaboration in these areas. "I think we stand to learn a lot from Chinese agricultural methods. We can also share a lot of experiences in seawater tuna farming."
"The Chinese market is very big from a number of perspectives," he said, expressing hope to further explore market opportunities across different regions of the country.
Established in 2015 as a joint venture between the Maltese government and the Malta Chamber, TradeMalta is tasked to empower Malta-based businesses to expand internationally. In recent years, the organization has led several business delegations to China, reflecting growing interest among local enterprises in accessing the Chinese market.
Buttigieg is currently coordinating the participation of Maltese companies in the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), set to take place in November. He described the CIIE as a vital platform for foreign businesses to build their brands and showcase their products to the Chinese market.
More than just a trade expo, he said, the CIIE is a place to build lasting relationships and collaborations with the Chinese government, companies, and individuals. As an "old friend" of the CIIE, Buttigieg said he is looking forward to attending the event once again this year.
Looking ahead, Buttigieg expressed optimism about the future of Malta-China trade cooperation. "There are still many opportunities to explore, and we need to collaborate more moving forward," he said.
As China and the European Union (EU) celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, Buttigieg also voiced hope for enhanced EU-China cooperation. "One cannot ignore the other," he said. "There is no future without collaboration. We will all benefit from closer EU-China ties." (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollar)
Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, speaks during an interview in Sliema, Malta, on May 13, 2025. Malta and China enjoy a long-standing trade relationship that is expected to further deepen in the coming years, as both sides continue to explore new areas of economic cooperation, Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, speaks during an interview in Sliema, Malta, on May 13, 2025. Malta and China enjoy a long-standing trade relationship that is expected to further deepen in the coming years, as both sides continue to explore new areas of economic cooperation, Anton Buttigieg, chief executive officer of TradeMalta, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)
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