Business news

VITEBSK, 28 May (BelTA) – A delegation of representatives of the private sector of China’s Shandong Province has arrived in Vitebsk, BelTA has learned.

The delegation is led by Deputy Director General of the Shandong Province Department of Commerce Liu Wei. Representatives of the Shandong Province delegation met with top officials of the Vitebsk Oblast administration on 28 May. There are about 120 people in the Chinese delegation, including representatives of 14 commerce departments from cities of the province and representatives of nearly 50 companies located in Shandong Province.

First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee Oleg Matskevich told media that the region is busy diversifying its target markets, including in the direction of China. “We’ve been twinned with Shandong Province since 2007. A delegation led by Shandong Province Governor Gong Zheng visited Vitebsk Oblast last year. We agreed that our cooperation should not be limited to the exchange of government delegations. It is necessary to get representatives of the private sector involved. The Chinese partners have kept their word. Heads of the commerce departments from Shandong Province and its cities have come to us now,” stressed Oleg Matskevich.

In his words, a presentation of 30 Vitebsk Oblast companies, primarily meat and dairy ones, is scheduled for the next day. Some of the companies have already certified their meat, butter, and milk powder products for export to China. However, they need smoothly operating logistics and a reliable partner first.

“We are also going to introduce our guests to our projects with possible investments in hydropower industry, the oil refinery Naftan, recreational institutions, a waste recycling plant, the construction of hotels, and tourism development. Our interaction has multiple vectors. I think we will reach certain results,” said the official.

In turn, Deputy Director General of the Shandong Province Department of Commerce Liu Wei stressed that the Chinese side was interested in dairy products and agricultural ones. “I hope the two-day visit will be productive and will become the foundation of our economic relations,” she noted.

The Chinese delegation will be able to get familiar with products made by Vitebsk Oblast companies on 29 May. After that the Chinese guests will visit a number of enterprises in the region. A meeting of the Chinese delegation and top officials of the Vitebsk Oblast administration and the oblast’s district administrations will take place after that.

Shandong Province is one of the most economically advanced regions of China. It is the country’s second largest province in terms of population (about 100 million people).