A big resonance in the world is caused by the ongoing visit of the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin, to the People's Republic of China, where the summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is being held. Speaking in Beijing, the President of Russia noted that in January-March 2018, the volume of Russian-Chinese trade grew by 31%. By the end of the year, according to Mr. Putin, Russia and China will be able to reach a record figure of 100 billion dollars, while maintaining the momentum of cooperation.
The Head of the Russian state reminded that last year the trade between Russia and China amounted to $ 87 billion, and announced the expansion of investment cooperation. On the very first day of negotiations, the parties signed almost a dozen agreements, most importantly - in the nuclear industry.
Cooperation is also intensified at the regional levels of the two countries. On June 7 and 8, three delegations from China, representing the authorities and business communities of Shanghai, Xi'an and Foshan visited the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr. Yuri Morozov, the Head of the Department of International and Interregional Cooperation of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who hosted the Chinese delegations in the Moscow Chamber, noted that Moscow today is the largest scientific and technical center of Russia, with a first-class infrastructure for investing in innovative production facilities. It constitutes a network of 34 techno parks and a special economic zone, attracting foreign investors on favorable terms. Due to comprehensive tax benefits, investors receive up to 30-35% savings on expenses. Today, according to the level of business climate development, Moscow ranks second in the ranking of Russian regions, Mr. Morozov told the Chinese guests. The government of Moscow supports investors in the selection of sites, providing ongoing consultations and advice to interested companies.
The Head of the DIIC MCCI said that the Commission on Foreign Economic Cooperation with partners in China is actively engaged in the structured work of the Chamber. The MCCI signed agreements with the CCIs of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuxi. The content of multilateral interaction between business communities of the two countries within the scope and competence of the Business Council C6, which unites the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Moscow, Beijing, Berlin, London, Paris and São Paulo, is of great importance. The meetings of the C6 Business Council typically discuss the opportunities for supporting business and urban development. In 2019, the next summit of Council C6 will be hosted by Beijing.
On June 7, the MCCI met with the delegation of the Department of Industry and Trade, representing the administration of one of the largest and most famous world megacities - Shanghai.
Members of the Chinese delegation noted that China and Russia are achieving very close cooperation, especially concerning the Great Silk Road project. The Head of the delegation of the megapolis, in which 80 thousand foreign enterprises are concentrated, noted that Moscow has room for enhancing the development of its business climate.
Members of the delegation were interested in issues of intellectual property protection. They reported that in 2016, China registered more than 3.5 million trademarks, based on a new structure that combined registration of both trademarks and patents.
On the same day, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry was visited by the delegation from Xi'an, presided over by the Head of the Regional Commerce Department of Xi'an, Mr. Liu Hengjun. The Chinese delegation consisted of government representatives, as well as a number of companies, whose sphere of activities is food production, logistics, trade relations, production of building materials and furniture. On the same day, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry was visited by the delegation from Xi'an, presided over by the Head of the Regional Commerce Department of Xi'an, Mr. Liu Hengjun. The Chinese delegation consisted of government representatives, as well as a number of companies, whose sphere of activities is food production, logistics, trade relations, production of building materials and furniture.
MCCI Reference:
This city is the seat of the government of Shānxī Province. According to historical data, it has existed for more than 3100 years and for some time was the largest (both in terms of area and number of inhabitants) in the world. For 13 dynasties, Xian was the capital of China and the destination of trade caravans, which went to the Celestial Empire along the Great Silk Road.
Currently, the city's population exceeds 9.5 million people. Since 1990, according to China's economic development plan for the central and northern regions of the country, Xi'an has transformed itself into an important center of culture, education and industry. In 2016, the GRP growth was 10%. In Xi'an, there are more than 100,000 enterprises and organizations that specialize in aircraft construction and production of equipment and machinery for the space industry, military-industrial production, electronic industry, biomedicine, and the production of new materials (semiconductors, composite materials, nanomaterials).
The scientific and technical and research base is very strong in the city - 63 universities and colleges, 460 research institutes, 209 laboratories and engineering centers are concentrated here, more than 460 thousand researchers work in the area. This is one of the 10 largest innovation cities in China. By 2021, the income of innovative industrial enterprises is expected to exceed 330 million yuan a year. High-tech industries account for 24% of the structure of industry. On the territory of Xi'an, there is a free trade zone, which attracted 174 out of the 500 largest global corporations, which became an important component of the strategy of the Great Silk Road.
More than 40,000 enterprises are registered in the high-tech industrial zone of Xian. There are 7 industrial clusters (semiconductors, automotive industry, energy equipment, biomedicine, software, IT, innovative services), which make the zone the 4th among 146 national high-tech zones in the ranking of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China in 2016.
On June 8, the MCCI was visited by a delegation from Foshan City (Chinese province of Guangdong) , led by Mr. Liu Weijun, the Vice President of the City Committee for the Promotion of International Trade. The delegation also included representatives of investment companies, the Union of Advocates. Members of the delegation expressed their keen interest in finding exhibition space in Moscow for demonstrating their products. They also offered Russian companies diverse legal support in the Chinese market.
MCCI Reference:
Foshan is an urban district in the center of the Chinese province of Guangdong. It is an ancient trading city, long famous for its porcelain factories and silk mills. In the 18th century, the city competed with Guangzhou for the title of China's fourth largest economic center. Accumulation of silt in the sleeves of the river prevented the city from accommodating ships of large displacement and made it an industrial appendage of the overgrown Guangzhou. Foshan is the birthplace of Chinese martial arts masters, including Bruce Lee.
In the Guangdong province, three of the four special economic zones of China are located: Shenzhen, Shantou and Zhuhai. Today, it is the largest economically developed province of the country; in terms of GDP it surpasses all other provinces: it makes about 12% of the national GDP. The province's economy grew on average by more than 10% annually. Guangdong accounts for the largest share of China's foreign trade surplus. Foshan is a production center of global importance, accomodating over 530,000 enterprises, with more than 10 million inhabitants.
According to the volume of GRP (Gross Regional Product), Foshan occupies the 16th place in China. The volume of trade with Russia amounts to about 4.8 billion yuan. In the city, there are extensive capacities for glass manufacturing (up to 30% of China's total output is produced here), as well as enterprises in the field of metalworking, particularly, the production of aluminum profiles and structures. The city specializes in the production of ceramics and furniture.