Prime Minister (PM) and Foreign Affairs Minister James Marape expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the increasing trade ties between Guangdong, a prominent Chinese province, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) during a meeting with Guangdong Governor H.E. Wang Weizhong this week. During this discussion it was established that trade with the province increased by 265.2 percent in trade volume in the first half of the year. The Governor formally invited the PM to visit the province later on, to which Marape accepted. Also attending the breakfast were National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop, State Enterprises Minister William Duma, Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong, Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr, other MPs and senior public servants. Guangdong boasts the largest and fastest-growing economy in terms of GDP among the 31 provinces and municipalities in mainland China. It is home to the influential Pearl River Delta (PRD) Economic Zone, along with the Shantou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai Special Economic Zones. Governor Wang said trade with PNG amounted to a huge increase of 93.28%, reaching about USD$477million in imports and exports. “The positive momentum has continued to strengthen, with import and export trade between our regions, growing by 265.2 percent from January to May this year," Governor Wang stated. PM Marape also made mention of his satisfaction of improvements in trade and investment levels, adding that the trade partnership between the two regions has seen a remarkable growth of over 200 per cent. However, he reiterated that there is still ample room for expansion, and PNG is eager to foster further collaborations with Guangdong province. ENDS//