VALLETTA, Apr. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malta strongly supports initiatives that facilitate economic cooperation and free trade, especially at a time when international trade and global economic growth are being "threatened by protectionist policies," Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela said on Thursday.
Abela was speaking at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) promotion conference, organized by the Economic and Commercial Counselor's Office of Chinese Embassy in Malta and the Malta Chamber of Commerce.
Abela said the exposition provided a perfect platform for countries like Malta to expand exports to one of the "most significant and dynamic markets in today's global economy".
He went on to say that economic cooperation was one of the "many common positions" the Maltese and Chinese governments have taken since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972.
On his part, Chinese Ambassador in Malta Jiang Jiang said the exposition was intended to help the rest of the world export to China.
"It is a testament to China's desire to open its market to the world and its commitment to act as a responsible and major country in promoting economic globalization," said Jiang.
He added that China expected to import more than 10 trillion U.S. dollars worth of imports over the next five years, and that the country welcomed Malta to access the Chinese market, in order to benefit from its growth.
He took spoke of the "dynamic economic cooperation" between China and Malta, pointing out that bilateral trade had gained strong momentum recently.
The first CIIE will be held in Shanghai in November, which is expected to bring together thousands of enterprises from more than 120 countries and regions.
A single purchase
