CETRA to `go south' more often

In support of the government's "go south" policy, the China External Trade Development Council (CETRA, 外貿協會) is considering organizing more trade missions to visit Southeast Asian nations, a CETRA official said Wednesday. Huang Chih-peng (黃志鵬), CETRA secretary general, said that his council is used to organizing two to three missions each year to explore the Southeast Asian market. Last June, CETRA led a trade mission to visit Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. During the trip, they sealed deals totaling US$3.44 million and obtained business opportunities amounting to about US$50 million, Huang said. Based on such successful experiences, the CETRA is considering organizing more trade missions to visit the region, Huang said. Machinery and parts, digital cameras, novel electronic products, plastic products, electrical appliances, tools, hardware, and medical equipment are popular articles in Southeast Asia, he pointed out.