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Roundup: Lithuania sees cooperation with China gathering momentum

Xinhua, May 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said on Friday that cooperation with China is gathering momentum when meeting with Wei Ruixing, the newly appointed ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Lithuania.

After the meeting, which, according to the government's press office, focused on bilateral relations and future opportunities of trade in agricultural sector, Butkevicius emphasized the progress of bilateral cooperation.

Lithuania has recently increased attention on China and expected more cooperation between the two as both countries are to mark 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. Lithuania is also making efforts to diversify Lithuania's exports markets.

"Next year will see the 25th anniversary of our diplomatic relations; our cooperation grows not only in education and transport, but in other fields as well," Butkevicius said in a statement.

"Officials responsible for culture and agriculture will soon start their duties at Lithuania's embassy in Beijing," noted the prime minister.

ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS

This month the government decided to establish new attache positions for culture and agriculture. Since the first is expected to increase Lithuania's prominence in China, especially high expectations are put on the latter.

The small Baltic country is looking for new markets and ways to diversify its exports.

Lithuanian companies are particularly striving for permissions to export dairy and milk products.

These industries was hard hit by Russia's food embargo on food imports from the European Union last summer and have been searching for new markets since then.

Butkevicius said that he has noticed positive signals from the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine regarding the permissions.

"Following completion of certification procedures, Lithuania will be able to offer China's market high quality organic agricultural and food produce," hopes the prime minister.

The dynamics of bilateral trade look promising, since exports to China grew by 16 percent last year, Butkevicius said. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, total agricultural and food exports to China amounted to 4.3 million euros in 2013.

Lithuania has been pursuing strategic transport services with China. The major project, shuttle container train The Sun, would make the journey it from Klaipeda, Lithuanian seaport, to China in 10 days.

Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuanian president, highlighted the opportunities provided by the container train and invited Chinese companies to actively exploit them when meeting with the new Chinese ambassador and accepting his letters of credence earlier this month.

In recent meeting, Butkevicius and Wei have agreed that it is necessary to further develop cooperation in transport services.

Diplomatic relations between China and Lithuania were established on September 14, 1991. Endit