Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Trade and Development Minister, H.E. Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Agriculture Minister, H.E. Ms. Carola Schouten, Healthcare Minister, H.E. Mr. Bruno Bruins and the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management Stientje van Veldhoven will all travel to China on an economic mission from 8 to 13 April 2018.
They will be accompanied by a business delegation led by Mr. Hans de Boer, chair of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers. The delegation will include representatives of businesses and knowledge institutions in the sectors of logistics and e-commerce, agri-food, horticulture and propagation materials, life sciences and health, waste management and circular economy, and smart and green transport mobility. A separate programme will be drawn up for each sector.
With 1.4 billion inhabitants, China is the world’s most populous country. In the last 30 years, China’s economy has grown at an average rate of 10% a year, making it the world’s second largest economy and the leading trading nation. China is working to tighten its trading and investment relationship with the rest of the Eurasian continent through its highly ambitious ‘belt and road’ initiative. This also opens up opportunities for Dutch companies, which will be explored in greater detail during the economic mission.