Business news

BREST, 2 November (BelTA) – This year the number of railway containers travelling from China to Europe via the Belarusian city of Brest has doubled in comparison with 2016, BelTA learned from Brest Oblast Vice Governor Andrei Klets on 2 November.

Some 100,000 railway containers have been transferred from the narrow gauge to the European gauge in Brest this year as part of the new Silk Road. The number is expected to increase by several times in the future. Chinese companies and Belarusian Railways intend to increase the number of containers up to 500,000 by 2020, said Andrei Klets. Thanks to cooperation with the Chinese company Wuhan Asia-Europe Logistics freight traffic via the Brest hub of Belarusian Railways has increased in both directions.

Andrei Klets said that Wuhan Asia-Europe Logistics representatives are expected to arrive soon. During the visit investors from Hubei Province are supposed to announce their decision on the possible construction of a major logistics hub in Brest Oblast.

A meeting with a Chinese delegation took place at premises of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee on 2 November. The delegation was led by Deputy Chairman of the People’s Political Consultative Council of Hubei Province Xiao Xuming. “Good relations have been established between our regions. Prospects for cooperation are sufficient. Merchandise export and cooperation in transport will make the relations stronger. We would like to invite a Brest Oblast delegation to come to Hubei Province on a reciprocal visit,” said Xiao Xuming. The visit is tentatively scheduled for spring 2018.

An agreement on cooperation between the Brest branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the International Trade Facilitation Office of Hubei Province was signed. Andrei Klets said that the agreement will enable information exchange and cooperation between the two companies. It is important because requirements of various markets change rapidly these days. “The agreement will allow us to promptly get authentic information so that we could certify our products for export in a timely manner, including export to China,” concluded the Brest Oblast vice governor.