Seychelles Guangdong Chamber of Commerce Inaugurated to Boost Bilateral Trade
VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Seychelles Guangdong Chamber of Commerce was officially inaugurated with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque during a short ceremony held on Thursday afternoon at L’Escale Resort, Roche Caïman, with the plaque unveiled jointly by Industry and Enterprise Minister Geralda Desaubin, Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Minister Barry Faure, chairman of the Seychelles Guangdong Chamber of Commerce Chi Fung William Liao, and vice-chairman Lionette Corgat. The newly established chamber is dedicated to strengthening trade, investment, and cultural ties between Seychelles and Guangdong province, one of China’s most economically dynamic regions.
The creation of a dedicated chamber of commerce linking Seychelles to Guangdong opens a significant new institutional channel for local businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors to access one of China’s most productive commercial and manufacturing hubs. For Seychellois businesses, the chamber provides a structured platform through which Seychellois products can potentially reach Chinese consumers via Guangdong’s well-established commercial networks, while also facilitating access to competitive sourcing, investment, and expertise in sectors ranging from food security to green technology.
Speaking on behalf of the chairman, Richao Liao said the unveiling of the plaque is a symbol of trust, shared ambition, and the journey that lies ahead, describing the organisation’s mission as resting on three pillars. The first is to serve as a catalyst for economic cooperation by aligning Guangdong’s strengths in smart manufacturing, green technology, and the digital economy with the market opportunities of Seychelles. The second is to strengthen people-to-people ties through cultural exchange initiatives ranging from Seychelles-China Day celebrations to collaborations in education, tourism, and youth engagement. The third is to serve as a dedicated bridge between Guangdong and Seychelles, supporting Seychellois businesses with networking, advisory support, and a community they can rely on, according to Ms Liao.
Ms Liao elaborated that the chamber has been established with a clear recognition of Seychelles’ economic priorities as a small, open, and trade-dependent island economy, with its approach grounded in practical alignment with the needs of the local private sector, supporting supply chain resilience, facilitating access to competitive sourcing, and unlocking opportunities in areas such as food security, construction, tourism-linked services, and emerging sectors. The chamber had already engaged with the chairman of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Oliver Bastienne, and initiated discussions towards a formal memorandum of understanding and a joint working group focused on trade facilitation, investment promotion, and business enablement.
The Seychelles Guangdong Chamber of Commerce comes at a time when Seychelles is deepening its bilateral relationship with China across multiple fronts, including the RMB 100 million grant recently announced during Vice-President Han Zheng’s state visit and the growing number of Chinese citizens living and working in the country. The new chamber provides a formal institutional framework within which these economic ties can be channelled, structured, and made mutually beneficial for both Seychellois and Chinese business interests.
The inauguration of the Seychelles Guangdong Chamber of Commerce represents a new chapter in the bilateral economic relationship, bringing together the commercial ambitions of two regions separated by geography but increasingly linked by shared economic interest.
