A Chinese Yunnan provincial economic and trade delegation, led by Vice Governor Liu Ping, arrived in Yangon Sunday to begin a five-day visit to Myanmar to promote bilateral economic and trade ties.

The 49-member Yunnan delegation, including 22 entrepreneurs, held a business meeting with members of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) shortly after their arrival to explore channels of expanding business cooperation between the province and Myanmar.

Vice-President of the UMFCCI U Win Aung said at the meeting that Myanmar welcomes Chinese entrepreneurs to make investment and carry out trading activities in the country.

On the occasion, vice governor Liu said his delegation's visit is to enhance understanding, friendship, cooperation and joint development, expressing hope to expand the economic and trade cooperation between the Yunnan province and Myanmar, proposing the trade volume between them to reach one billion U.S. dollars in two years.

The Yunnan delegation will also meet officials of Myanmar departments concerned to seek further cooperation between the province and Myanmar.

According to Chinese official statistics, China-Myanmar bilateral trade hit 1.209 billion dollars in 2005, up 5.6 percent from 2004. Of the total, China's exports to Myanmar took 935 million dollars, while its import from Myanmar stood 274 million dollars.

The trade volume between Yunnan province and Myanmar, including the border trade, amounted to 630 million dollars during the year, up 14.6 percent from the previous year. Of the total, Yunnan's exports to Myanmar represented 400 million dollars, while its imports from Myanmar was valued at 230 million dollars, the figures show.

Source: Xinhua