Looking to strengthen ties between Tahiti and China, Perles de Tahiti GIE, the marketing group for the Tahitian pearl industry, organized an 8-day tour of the black pearl-producing island for Chinese representatives.

From Nov. 7-14, Chinese pearl traders, officials and members of the trade press met with Tahitian government officials, pearl producers and members of Perles de Tahiti GIE in an effort to bolster trade relations and establish a direct communication channel between the two countries.

“China is one of our largest targeted markets in the world. The support rallying from the trade gives us power to successfully and systematically build a concrete presence in the market,” said Miriam Greaton, chief representative of the Chinese branch of Perles de Tahiti GIE. “Although there are still uncertainties and confusion in the market about price and quality, this delegation serves as a good platform for us to communicate and educate.”

In September 2002, Perles de Tahiti GIE set up an information center in Shanghai, China, to enhance communication between Chinese pearl traders and Tahiti. A month later, French Polynesia President Gaston Flosse was invited to make his first official visit to China.

“China becomes one of our major markets. Our mission is to tighten the communications between the governments, traders and GIE,” said Perles de Tahiti GIE Chairman Pierre Teriitehau. “GIE will continue to cooperate closely with the professional trade media and capture the updates in the industry so that better plans to conglomerate with the uprising market demands would be made.”


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Source: National Jeweler
November 2003