The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) the only private sector Chamber which exclusively serves exporters will conduct an awareness creating and knowledge dissemination seminar on the proposed Sri Lanka China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This event will be held on July 15, at the Crystal Ballroom, Taj Samudra from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

The rapidly changing world economic scenario has brought into focus China as an economic power house, and her dominance of world trade. It is opportune for developing countries especially in the Asian region, like Sri Lanka to exploit the benefits of trading with China, particularly related to the export of products and services.

Trade between Sri Lanka and China has increased in recent years, reaching USD 3.6 billion in 2013 from USD 1.1 billion in 2006. China has also become a major development partner of Sri Lanka especially in the field of infrastructure projects.

The objective of the seminar is to educate Exporters and Service Providers to exporters, on the important aspects and issues related to the FTA, its potential benefits to expand trade between the two countries for mutual benefit, and especially the opportunity to diversify, develop, and expand the export of Sri Lankan products and services to the huge Chinese market.

An eminent panel of speakers will analyze the important aspects of the FTA, to enable participants to understand and assess the various issues, in order to make an effective contribution, for the negotiation and finalization of the FTA to optimally benefit Sri Lanka and her business community.

The panel will include eminent resource persons who will address the participants and also serve in the panel discussion.

The panel would consist of R.D.S. Kumararatne, Director General of Department of Commerce, Janaki Kuruppu, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tea Board, Sarada De Silva, Vice President of NCE & Chairman of the Spice Council and R. Semasinghe, Director General of the Department of Trade and Investment Policy.

Rohantha Athukorala, Hub Director Commonwealth Environment Investment Platform and Board Director Private and Public Sector, will be moderator of the Open Forum.

Representatives from the Export Development Board (EDB), National Council for Economic Development (NCED), Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Central Bank, Board of Investment (BOI), Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Standard Institution (SLSI), and the Department of Animal Production and Health have been invited to attend the event.