China and Mauritius have signed a Free Trade Agreement covering trade in goods, services and as well as investment protection matters. The China -Mauritius FTA agreement is reportedly the first of its kind signed between China and an African country and aims to take the strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Africa up to new levels.
The signing of the Agreement is expected to give Mauritian enterprises access to the huge 1.4 billion people Chinese market. Exports of special sugars, rum, black tea, tuna, horticultural products, processed food, handicrafts, high-end textiles and apparels, cut diamonds, etc from Mauritius are expected to gain heavily. According to sources, China-Mauritius FTA will raise the competitiveness of Mauritian products with China-sourced components in their value chain, leading to higher export potential. The Mauritian tourism sector is also expected to gain from the Agreement. The country has set its target to transform itself into a shopping paradise for Africa, Asia, and the Indian Ocean. The signing of the FTA is expected to transform Mauritius as a business hub of choice for the Indian Ocean, Africa, and Asia.
Bilateral ties between Mauritius and China have been strong and have seen steady growth. China has financed major economic and social infrastructure projects in Mauritius. The major ones include the Mauritius international airport, highways, sports stadiums, public transportation, public hospitals, social housing, etc. Mauritius imports a wide range of Chinese Products
