Amman, Jan. 13 (Petra) -- Chairman of the Jordan and Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) Fathi Jaghbier on Tuesday discussed with Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Guo Wei, ways to develop economic and trade relations and build on available opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ business communities.
Talking during the meeting, Jaghbir said trade data show a "clear" imbalance in favor of China, noting Chinese exports to Jordan exceeded $5.1 billion in 2024, while Jordanian exports to China stood at about $318 million.
Jaghbir added that Jordanian exports to the Chinese market reached $271 million during the first ten months of 2024, compared with $289 million in the same period a year earlier, underscoring a "significant" trade gap that requires intensified joint efforts to support Jordanian industrial exports and expand cooperation in higher value-added sectors.
According to an ACI statement, the meeting reviewed key challenges facing Jordanian industrial exports to China, particularly administrative and technical requirements, standards and regulatory procedures, including those related to the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), especially for food product exports.
Both sides stressed the importance of enhancing coordination between relevant official bodies to accelerate registration and accreditation procedures, facilitate market access for Jordanian products, improve competitiveness, and expand their presence in external markets.
Talks also covered prospects for increasing Chinese investment in Jordan and expanding joint industrial partnerships in promising sectors where Jordan has competitive advantages, contributing to technology transfer, higher production capacity, job creation, export growth, and overall economic expansion.
Discussions highlighted the role of participation in specialized trade fairs and economic events, as well as mutual promotion programs, in linking Jordanian companies with Chinese counterparts and potential importers, thereby strengthening the presence of Jordanian products in the Chinese and broader Asian markets.
On future steps, the two sides agreed to maintain close coordination in the coming period and build on the ideas discussed to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation and achieve a "more balanced" trade relationship, in line with Jordan’s efforts to support national industry and expand access to global markets.
//Petra// NQ
