A high-level Bahrain business delegation has concluded a successful 10-day visit to China and Hong Kong during which 13 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed with Chinese businesses and trade organisations to strengthen economic and trade ties.

The delegation was led by Transportation Minister and Economic Development Board acting chief executive Kamal Ahmed, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The visit was aimed at further enhancing bilateral trade relations with China, valued at around $1.7 billion (excluding crude oil).

The visit comes following His Majesty the King's historic visit to China last year, and both nations celebrating 25 years of bilateral relations.

The Bahraini delegation visited Hong Kong as the final destination of an extensive road show and met representatives from the Federation of Industry and Commerce to promote trade ties.

Ahmed met representatives from several Hong Kong-based organisations, including the New World Services Group and Chueng Kong Infrastructure.

He also attended the Annual General Meeting of Hong Kong Bahrain Business Association.

The EDB also hosted a networking reception following the Bahrain-Hong Kong Business Seminar.

During the road show, the delegation hosted a series of seminars introducing potential Chinese investors to the economic and investment climate in Bahrain, and held talks with Chinese officials, business leaders and businesses looking to access the Gulf market, in four of China's main commercial centres: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

The delegation also visited the 6th China Overseas Investment Fair in Beijing.

'Like China, the six economies of the GCC are one of the world's great growth centres,' Ahmed said.

'This market has growing demands for new products and services.

'Mainland China, with fast-emerging consumer products manufacturers, and Hong Kong, with its strength in financial services, are ideally placed to take advantage of the opportunities presented in the region.'

Bahrain and China have a strong trade relationship that dates back two thousand years to the first Silk Road.

The kingdom is host to a number of leading Chinese companies, which have established offices or facilities in Bahrain to access the wider Gulf market, including Huawei, Bank of China, China Harbour Engineering Company and CPIC.

Bahrain's favourable business environment and strong economic fundamentals have been endorsed by the Heritage Foundation's 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, which saw the kingdom ranked 13th in the world and first in the Middle East and North Africa. – TradeArabia News Service