China Business Promotion Delegation, organized by the Trade Development Bureau of Chinese Ministry of Commerce and China International Contractors Association, set off for a business tour to Europe for the 5th time. It is a positive follow-up to Vice Premier Hui Liangyu’s visit to Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Premier Wen Jiabao’s “Confidence Tour” at the beginning of this year. The delegation consists of 48 representatives from 34 enterprises covering such industries as pharmaceutical, light industry, minerals, finance, foodstuff and project contracting. During the visit, the delegation will hold trade talks, forums and other activities in the above-mentioned countries.

The Chinese Business Delegation first visited Slovenia on August 26. Slovenia is one of China’s most important trading partners in the Central & Eastern Europe. In recent years, with joint-efforts of the two sides, the China-Slovenia bilateral trade relations have been developing smoothly, and trade is up significantly year by year. The bilateral trade reached $ 1.08 billion in 2008, up by 34.8% compared with that of previous year. Two-way investment develops well. Slovenia has been active in investing in China’s many industries including auto parts, sportswear, footwear making. And China has been more and more interested in investing in Slovenia. Enterprises from both countries had positive discussion over project contracting and labor service cooperation. The present cooperation between China and Slovenia’s trade and economy still has great potential, considering the two countries’ economic development.

During the delegation’s stay in Slovenia, Slovenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave a briefing to Chinese delegation on Slovenia’s economy, investment environment and infrastructure planning and projects, and expressed welcome to Chinese enterprises’ investment. Enterprises from the two countries had fruitful negotiations. Some of them had signed contracts or letter of intent, involving such fields as publishing, medicine, foodstuff, furniture, bath accessories, arts and crafts and paper pulp. More enterprises made clear their cooperation intent through information exchange, which laid a sound foundation of trade and investment cooperation.

Leaders of the two countries attached great importance to China-Slovenia trade and economic exchange and cooperation. On August 27, Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor attended China-Slovenia Entrepreneur Forum & 2nd Meeting of Entrepreneur Council, organized by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Slovenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and delivered important speeches and encouraged the business communities of the two countries to strengthen understanding so as to further promote China-Slovenia trade and economic cooperation.