Delegation of Youth Business China visits Brest Oblast

BREST, 22 July (BelTA) – A delegation of Youth Business China paid a visit to Belarus. The visit was initiated by the Chinese Embassy in Minsk, BelTA has learnt.

The delegation was composed of 13 people representing the chamber of commerce and industry and the holding of young entrepreneurs of Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province. These young businessmen are employed in various economic sectors, including real estate and construction, production of electrotechnical products and toys, telecommunications and trade. The purpose of their visit was to study economic and investment potential of Brest Oblast. The delegation toured the free economic zone where it was informed about the operation of resident companies. A presentation of Brest Oblast and the free economic zone was held at the Brest Oblast Executive Committee.

Opening the meeting, First Deputy Governor of Brest Oblast Mikhail Yukhimuk noted that Brest Oblast has many things to offer to foreign investors. “We are interested in closest cooperation with China, and the recent visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to China is another testimony to that. Brest Oblast signed a cooperation agreement with Hubei Province, while the cities of Brest and Baranovichi have twin towns in China. In January-May 2013 the bilateral trade between Brest Oblast and China soared 3.5 times. I hope that your first visit will give a boost to the interregional cooperation,” Mikhail Yukhimuk said.

The head of the Chinese delegation expressed interest in establishing long-term partner relations with Belarus. “Contacts between our countries are getting increasingly vibrant. I am convinced that direct Beijing-Minsk flights will start to be operated in the near future; these flights are really needed,” the representative of the Chinese delegation said.

The investment projects suggested by Chinese entrepreneurs include construction of a hot galvanizing facility (the project is estimated at about €3.5 million), development of a sand deposit to produce vitreous concentrates (the project will need about $20 million), and construction of a factory to produce glass containers for liquid foodstuffs. A number of companies of Brest Oblast are ready to offer their assets to foreign investors. The region also needs to upgrade several companies, in particular, light industry enterprises.

Participants of the meeting at the Brest Oblast Executive Committee suggested setting up a Belarus-China advisory center at the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Taking part in the meeting were Brest Mayor Alexander Palyshenkov, heads of the Brestmyasomolprom and Brestmestprom concerns, administrations of the FEZ Brest and the Brest technopark and local authorities.