Local producers and service providers in the country will in the near future see the benefits of the establishment of Trade Commission Services under Papua New Guinea (PNG) Foreign Services in the various countries that the country is represented in. The Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru, when making the official announcement of the new Trade Commission Service, said that the establishment of the new Trade Commission Service was a direct decision of the National Government in an effort to improve trade and investments, and the economic growth of PNG. “Since independence we have our Foreign Service operation through our Embassy and High Commission throughout the world, but the Marape- Rosso government has decided, on top of the Foreign Service, for the first time to embark on a new Trade Commission Service that will complement the Foreign Service work,” said the minister. He said that the aim is to establish this service in all 8 countries that PNG is represented in. The trade mission will be headed by a trade commissioner and staff, who will be operating either in an Embassy or High Commission, co- sharing the office with the Foreign Service headed by an Ambassador or High Commissioner, or in an office of their own. Minister Maru said that the Trade Commission Service has a different focus from the Foreign Service. They are; • Focus on trade by look for export markets for PNG’s products and services, • Focus on getting foreign investors to come invest in major economic projects in PNG, • To be the focal point in various countries that PNG will be undertaking studies and negotiations for free trade agreements with PNG. “The recent decision is consistent with the Marape government decision to establish the ministry of international trade and investment. “Our core business is to look for market for our products and to bring in foreign investors to invest in our country, in particular in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) that we are embarking on.” Minister Maru said the decision of the government is timely because on Sunday 07th May, the prime minister will open the first SEZ Summit for PNG and over the next few days, six countries will present about how they successfully developed SEZ, which has been a key driver for economic growth and transformation of economies for the better. Meanwhile, the minister also announced that the first overseas mission to see the establishment of the first Trade Commission Service, will be in the PNG Embassy in China. The reason being that China is PNG’s most important trading partner. “China’s president has announced over and over again that they are ready to buy everything that we produce, from our fish to our coffee, to our palm oil and to our gas that we produce. “China will become the most important market for Papua New Guinea,” said Minister Maru.