Madam Speaker, as mentioned in the Government Programme 2025- 2029, the Government will consolidate existing export markets through more targeted marketing and promotion campaigns, as well as focus on boosting productive investment and export promotion across all sectors of the Mauritian economy. My Ministry regularly receives invitations for participation in international expositions and trade fairs abroad, and an in-depth assessment of the potential benefits of our participation is undertaken at the level of the relevant ministries and institutions prior to confirming attendance at such events. The China International Import Expo is a major international trade exhibition hosted annually by the Government of the People's Republic of China in Shanghai. It was first announced in May 2017 and has been held every year since 2018. The Expo inter alia aims to – (i) promote trade and economic globalisation; (ii) facilitate the access of foreign companies to the Chinese market; (iii) encourage imports into China; (iv) strengthen international economic cooperation and partnerships, and (v) showcase China's commitment to further opening up its economy to the world. It is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. The Expo is also supported by international organisations including World Trade Organisation, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. It is reported that the China International Import Expo is regarded as a strategic platform for countries and businesses seeking access to the Chinese market, a venue for launching new products and technologies, and a mechanism for promoting global supply chains and international commercial partnerships. Over the years, it has attracted participation from more than 100 countries and thousands of enterprises, including numerous Fortune Global 500 companies. Madam Speaker, I am informed that the Economic Development Board has led the participation of Mauritian exporters in Shanghai in 2024 and 2025. These participations were intended to assess the potential of the Chinese market for Mauritian products and to broaden our export footprint in Asia. It is also worth noting that during previous editions of the Expo, in which Mauritius participated, our mission in Beijing liaised with the relevant Chinese authorities to ensure that the necessary assistance was extended to the EDB. Furthermore, representatives of the mission attended the 2025 edition of the Expo. With respect to the 9th edition of the Expo, scheduled to be held from the 05 to 10 of November 2026, I wish to inform the House that the invitation from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China was received at the level of our Ministry on 01 April 2026 and forwarded to EDB in April itself for consideration. The possibility of participation is presently under detailed examination by the EDB. The EDB is consulting with private sector operators to gage commercial interest and to assess the economic viability of such a mission. Should this assessment confirm clear commercial value, the EDB will consider coordinating a targeted Mauritian participation with the relevant private sector stakeholders. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, one question.

Can the hon. Minister tell the House if his Ministry is taking benefit of the Free Trade Agreement which Mauritius has with China?

Yes, hon. Minister?

I did answer a question last week on this Madam Speaker. Just to come back to the answer that I gave, I will just inform the hon. Member that under the FTA, China has committed to eliminate tariffs on 8,547 tariff lines on goods over a period of seven years, and in return, Mauritius provides China with duty-free access on 192 tariff lines. It is important to also note that trade flows have fluctuated over the years and exports to China under the FTA have recently shown an increase from some 126 million in 2024 to 449 million in 2025. Therefore, to conclude and to answer to your question, definitely the private operators here in Mauritius are taking advantage of the FTA.

Yes, a second one? Yes!

What are the measures taken by the Ministry of International Trade to inform the Mauritian traders and exporters of the possibilities existing in China?

The Minister should know that the export promotion falls under the mandate of the EDB, not my Ministry.

(Interruptions)

The hon. Member! The hon. Member! Il est devenu ministre avant l'heure. Yes, hon. Beejan! STATE LAND – LEASES – ANNUAL RENT – CABINETS’APPROVAL