MINSK, 23 April (BelTA) – About 250 participants are taking part in the international forum of business contacts “Brest-China. Strategic partnership”, which is scheduled to take place in Brest on 23-25 April, BelTA has learned.

It is the first time a forum of this format has been organized in the oblast capital. The forum focuses on comprehensive interaction between Brest Oblast and China. Chairman of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee Yuri Shuleiko noted that the international forum of business contacts in Brest has always been an image-building event meant to promote interaction between the private sector and the state. The fact that this year the organizers have directed their attention to the People’s Republic of China underlines the high level of trust between Belarus and China.

The Brest Oblast governor went on saying: “Although Brest Oblast trades with 88 countries across the globe, the People’s Republic of China is Brest Oblast’s second largest partner in foreign trade. At present Brest Oblast maintains interregional cooperation with four provinces of the People’s Republic of China: Hubei, Anhui, Shanxi, and Liaoning. Cooperation is maintained in all spheres: trade, logistics, education, culture, tourism, and other ones.” Brest Oblast offers a unique venue for all kinds of startups and for business development. By the way, Brest Oblast occupies leading positions in Belarus in terms of the human development index, transport infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and housing and utilities infrastructure. Various preferences, the workforce potential and proximity to the European Union make the region very attractive for Chinese investments.

A delegation from Hong Kong came to participate in the forum. It is the first visit of representatives of the Hong Kong private sector to Belarus in the last few years. “I am happy to be here. We would like to work with you and have come here in order to study everything, meet with Belarus’ business circles and understand how we can be of use to each other. We hope that we will have many reasons to go back to Belarus for the sake of future cooperation. In particular, Hong Kong has very good offers regarding private investments, the development of healthcare. I think we can help each other and be useful to each other in many areas,” believes Doctor Johnny Hon, President of the Hong Kong-Heilongjiang Association for Economic Cooperation.

A number of bilateral documents were signed on the first day of the forum: a memorandum of cooperation between the Brest Oblast Executive Committee and the Association of Chinese Companies, a memorandum of cooperation between the Brest branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Association of Chinese Companies, a memorandum of cooperation between the Sport and Tourism Office of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee and the limited liability company Uvizit Culture and Business Center, agreements between A.S. Pushkin State University of Brest and the Chinese International Education Foundation, a memorandum of cooperation between the Brest Oblast Teaching Hospital and Reach Surgical Company, a memorandum of cooperation between the Brest City Central Hospital and Reach Surgical Company, agreements on cooperation between the peat-extracting enterprise Glinka and Heilongjiang Zhongju International Trade Company, agreements of intent for cooperation between the peat-extracting enterprise Glinka and China Gansu International Corporation for Economic and Technical Cooperation.

Partners from Belarus and China are expected to discuss results and prospects of cooperation concerning manufacturing sector, innovations, civil engineering, logistics, education, healthcare, science, sport, and tourism. Participants of the forum will also be invited to get familiar with the infrastructure in Brest, visit enterprises, hospitals, universities, and sport facilities. A business matchmaking session is scheduled for 24 April. Apart from that, Chinese guests are expected to visit the memorial complex Brest Hero Fortress and the national park Belovezhskaya Pushcha.