Commerce ministry setting up trade office in Northeast China

DALIAN, Aug 23 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce will seek funding from the government to establish a trade office in a bid to expand trade in northeastern China, said Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot.

Mr Alongkorn, currently visiting Dalian’s provincial seaport, said his ministry would request a budget allocation from the government-sponsored “Stronger Thai” scheme and the money would be spent on setting up the trade office with the aim of boosting Thai exports in three provinces in northeastern China.

Trade between Thailand and the Northeastern region in China is still small although the region now enjoys not less than 10 per cent gross domestic product annually, he said.

The seaport in Dalian is now ranked seventh largest in China while people living in the region have high purchasing power, said Mr Alongkorn. He said the trade office would be responsible for collecting market information and coordinate with Chinese firms in the region while the Thai Commerce Ministry would cooperate with concerned Chinese officials in organising Thai trade fairs in those three provinces.

More Thai fruit, food, processed agricultural products and electronics parts could expand markets in the region, he added. (TNA)