GOMEL, 25 January (BelTA) – The export of Belarusian Gomel Oblast to China soared 20 times in the past three years, Gomel Oblast Vice Governor Andrei Konyushko said during an online conference on cooperation between Gomel Oblast and Chinese province Hebei on 25 January, BelTA has learned.
Andrei Konyushko stressed that Gomel Oblast highly values friendship with China. “In the Year of the Regions of Belarus and China, declared by the governments of our countries, we see how cooperation is expanding. Economic and interregional ties are actively developing. Thanks to modern technology, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we are in constant contact, we find new friends, we establish interregional ties, we sign business agreements between companies on product supplies and logistics, we conduct presentations and negotiations,” the vice governor said.
In his opinion, bilateral trade in goods and services has a potential for further growth. “Over the last three years the export of Gomel Oblast's goods to China has increased 20 times. China's share in our region's total commodity turnover grows annually,” said Andrei Konyushko. Thus, export of Gomel Oblast enterprises to China exceeded $100 million in January-November 2021.
The main exports to China include wood pulp, timber, wool, meat and dairy products, confectionery products. “We are interested in increasing the mutual trade and expanding the range of products that are in demand in China,” the vice governor said. According to him, Gomel meat and dairy enterprises are ready to increase the supply of beef, poultry meat and food by-products, whole milk products, condensed and dried milk and cream, dry whey.
According to Andrei Konyushko, 16 enterprises of the region have been accredited for the delivery of food products to China, including six meat processing and seven milk processing companies, two distilleries and one confectionery. The Kalinkovichi meat processing plant as well as new types of products are undergoing accreditation.
There are also good examples of investment cooperation. Gomel Oblast is home to three enterprises with Chinese capital. These enterprises are involved in the production of hydroelectric power and concrete, and engaged in restaurant activities.
“Every year our friendship with China strengthens. The status of interregional cooperation enhances. We are reaching the level of brotherhood with many partner regions,” Andrei Konyushko added. Thus, Gomel Oblast has documents on bilateral cooperation with four regions of China - Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces and Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. Seven more bilateral documents were signed between the administrative-territorial units of Gomel Oblast and China.
On 25 January, an agreement was signed to establish twinning relations between Svetlogorsk District and Baoding City of Hebei Province of China, as well as agreements between Belarusian and Chinese companies in trade and logistics.
