Prime minister Paul Bérenger’s trip to China is the last of the series of official visits he has paid to the five countries which the different inhabitants of Mauritius originally came from. He insisted on the fact that his State visit to China, which beagn last Sunday, is a courtesy visit.

However, it is also the opportunity to strengthen trade relations between the two countries. This visit will take Paul Bérenger to Beijing, where he will meet the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker, and to Shanghai, Hinan Island and the trade and finance centre of Pudong.

The frequent high-level visits of Mauritian delegations to China and Chinese delegations to Mauritius have contributed to reinforcing the “comprehension and trust” between the two countries as well as the promotion of trade. Last September, on the 55th anniversary celebration of the Chinese People’s Republic, the ambassador did not miss the opportunity of underlining the excellent relations between China and Mauritius saying that they had already started preparing for the PM’s trip.

Potential trade

On the agenda of discussions: social housing – for which China has already given Rs 400 million- the Chagos issue, relations between China and the Southern African developing countries, tourism and the employment of Chinese labour in Mauritius.

The possibility of connecting China and Mauritius with scheduled flights should also be discussed. The PM pointed out that Air Mauritius was already moving in that direction but that his presence in China could speed up the process of getting landing rights for the national airline in China. This could boost the arrival of Chinese tourists, the more so since the Chinese government has just granted Mauritius an “approved destination” status.

The good relations between China and Mauritius are based mainly on their trade ties although China benefits more than Mauritius. Mauritius exported goods to the value of Rs 211 million to China in 2003 while it imported some Rs 5.5 billion worth.

With China is becoming more and more important on the world market, this trend is unlikely to be reversed… From raw materials for the textile industry to household appliances and food…the potential for importing from China is vast…

The reputation of products “made in China” has changed enormously. Chinese manufacturers have upgraded their products and offer very competitive prices. China intends to become one of the biggest exporters worldwide. In Mauritius, it already covers one-third of the market and is the second most important supplier. It could well become the first in a few years’ time.