CORONAVIRUS has scuppered two Teesside trade missions to the Far East, a meeting has heard.

The latest Stockton place select committee was told the trade visits to Singapore and Taipei were called off on the back of the virus’s spread.

The North East Chamber of Commerce runs a Department for International Trade (DiT) contract in the region to support small and medium sized firms boost links overseas.

But Julie Anderson, from the Chamber, said the missions with Tees Valley firms had been abandoned in the wake of the spread of the virus.

She said: “Sadly we’ve had to postpone them. One was Stockton to Singapore – where we’ve done some fantastic work in the healthcare sector.

“That was due to go out to Singapore last week – but due to the coronavirus it just wasn’t viable to do that. We’re going to take it later in the year.

“Likewise, the Teesside to Taipei mission was all around the renewable sector. We’ve had to put that one on hold.”

Despite the setbacks, the committee was told the Chamber’s links overseas had been popular with Stockton firms.

Figures offered to councillors showed Stockton firms had gained £21m in “business wins” from overseas trade.

This is a measure calculated by the Chamber which gauges “potential sales” and orders over a five year period – with Stockton’s £21m coming out of £33.4m across the Tees Valley.

Ms Anderson told the committee the Chamber had links to 156 countries overseas – with a team of advisers to help small and medium sized firms boost trade.

An ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) programme also allows companies to access £2,000 grants to visit exhibitions and go on fact-finding missions to boost trade.