BCN-38 Tunisia, China sign deal on developing digital economy

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ZCZC

BCN-38

TUNISIA-CHINA-DEAL-ECONOMY

Tunisia, China sign deal on developing digital economy

TUNIS, July 4, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – Tunisia and China have signed a
partnership agreement on developing digital economy, the Tunisian Institute
for Strategic Studies (ITES) said Tuesday.

The deal was inked during the Belt and Road Digital Economy conference
held in Beijing, the ITES said.

This agreement will offer opportunities for young Tunisians, especially
those in areas such as telecommunications, fiber optics, network computing
and e-commerce, it said.

Neji Jalloul, director general of ITES, noted that the Tunisian-Chinese
bilateral trade continues to grow steadily and fruitfully.

“The new Silk Road connects many countries from Asian, European and
African continents, allowing everyone more interconnected, to promote
economic, cultural and digital exchanges,” said Jalloul.

“Tunisia and China have had commercial relations since the Roman times,”
said Jalloul. “Furthermore, in terms of innovation, Tunisia ranks first among
Middle East and North Africa countries and ranks 40th in the world in the
same field”.

Jalloul believes Tunisia would be an international financial platform in
the heart of the Mediterranean region.

“Tunisia has always maintained peaceful relations with its neighbors and
is open to all cultures and civilizations, “said Jalloul.

With its location at the crossroads of Europe, the Arab world and Africa,
Tunisia “will be a strategic ally to China, to better develop the project of
One Belt and One Road Digital Economy,” said Jalloul.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a
trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Africa and Europe along
the trade routes of the ancient Silk Road.

BSS/XINHUA/HR/1412