Anzhelika Nikitina. Photo of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee
VITEBSK, 30 May (BelTA) - Deputy Governor of Vitebsk Oblast Anzhelika Nikitina took stock of the participation of Vitebsk Oblast’s delegation in the Twin Regions Forum recently held in Shandong Province of China, BelTA has learned.
Vitebsk Oblast’s delegation led by Governor Aleksandr Subbotin represented Belarus at this large-scale event. In total, more than 50 countries participated in the forum. The delegation showcased the economic and cultural potential of the region. Enterprises of Vitebsk Oblast presented their products to Shandong. Anzhelika Nikitina noted that delegations from African nations and Russian regions showed interest in Belarusian products and initiatives.
“China is one of Vitebsk Oblast's key strategic partners in foreign trade, as it is for Belarus as a whole, in terms of both exports, which have increased several times over recent years, and imports, as China supplies much of the equipment needed for modernization amid sanctions-related challenges. Shandong is not a new partner for Vitebsk. Our cooperation began in 2006. In 2019, we signed the first agreement. Since then, Belarusian delegations have repeatedly visited the province and its cities. The partnership has been mutually beneficial and promising, leading to the decision to accept the invitation to participate in the Twin Regions Forum. This reflects our all-weather and all-round friendship with Shandong Province. The forum also provides an opportunity to showcase Vitebsk’s industrial, tourism, and logistics potential,” Anzhelika Nikitina stressed.
She pointed out that enterprises from Orsha, Polotsk, Braslav, Verkhnedvinsk, and Vitebsk were represented at the event. These include producers of meat and dairy products, flax, pharmaceutical, and veterinary medicines. "Our enterprises traveled there with specific goals: many were seeking equipment for modernization. Other companies that are already supplying their products to Shandong were exploring the opportunity of additional product deliveries. The Chinese side arranged B2B meetings, during which various forms of cooperation were discussed with 52 Chinese companies,” Anzhelika Nikitina said.
Preliminary agreements indicate potential supplies from Vitebsk enterprises to Shandong worth over $100 million. For example, the Orsha Linen Mill is currently exporting cotton fiber and plans to expand exports to include linen fabrics and apparel in the future. "This certainly will allow making more money," she emphasized.
She added that exports of canned meat and woodworking products to China will increase. Contracts have been signed for the development of a joint product between BelVituniFarm and a leading global corporation that specializes in pharmaceutical and veterinary products. Polotsk-Steklovolokno also plans to implement a Belarus-China project. Additionally, agreements have been reached with two Chinese companies to establish greenhouse farms to cultivate vegetables. Investors will soon visit Vitebsk Oblast to explore locations to jointly construct these greenhouses.
Anzhelika Nikitina remarked that interregional cooperation could expand further. "The economy of the region and its district centers is built on friendly interregional relations. All districts participating in the forum engaged with the Chinese side, held meetings, and gave presentations, which is highly significant," she concluded.
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