The first shipment of Maltese Bluefin Tuna will soon reach China, the Chief Executive Officer of the Maltese Federation of Aquaculture Producers said on Wednesday.

Describing this as another milestone reached by the bluefin tuna industry, Charlon Gouder said he was "honoured and privileged" to see and assist the first joint investment finally being completed between Malta Fish Farming (MFF) Ltd and China's Shandong Far-sea Development Ltd.

This development came after the Federation of Aquaculture Producers last year completed, through the government, the first bilateral agreement of this sort to export bluefin tuna into the Chinese market.

Gouder said he looked forward to seeing other companies in Malta establishing similar cooperations and also opening new channels for new products in China such as fish food and fish oil.

Last week, Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela addressed a ceremony for the inauguration of the first bluefin tuna joint venture platform between China and Malta held in Marsa, eastern Malta.

Highlighting the solid economic ties between Malta and China, he said, "Over the past five decades, our partnership has grown stronger through mutual benefit and win-win cooperation."

The joint venture was established in southern China's Hainan Province in June this year by Malta Fish Farming (MFF) Ltd. and Shandong Far-sea Development Ltd., a subsidiary of Shandong Marine Group. This cooperation covers the whole industrial chain such as bluefin tuna trade, processing, and transportation.