More than 30 leading Taiwan companies will be taking part in a trade mission to Bahrain this month and take part in a seminar that will feature one-to-one talks with businesses to promote their products.

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council will host the one-day seminar on September 19 at the Gulf Hotel.

Taiwan has held a number of trade fairs in the kingdom to promote business between the two countries.

Bahrain is seen as a hub for the northern Gulf for the development of business between Taiwan and the kingdom.

Twelve leading Taiwanese food companies took part in the Taiwan Food Exhibition at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier this year, and by mid-day they had held appointments with more than 20 local companies interested in doing business.

'We see Bahrain as the hub from where we can access the whole region,' said Taiwan trade mission representative Paul Hsu at that event.

He said that in 2010, trade between Bahrain and Taiwan had been worth $380 million but $350 million of it included products exported from the kingdom to Taiwan, largely consisting of aluminium and oil items.

'We believe our food and beverages industry has a lot of potential here,' he said. 'Our major food products are exported to Japan which has very high standards so our food industry has to offer the highest quality products.'

He added that Taiwan had recently signed a free trade agreement with China which had seen it boost business and it was looking to develop a free trade agreement with the GCC. – TradeArabia News Service